electricity pricing

Passing through Transpower's transmission costs

The transmission charges directly reflect how much we are charged by Transpower. We use a bulk GXP-based pricing method for the recovery of these transmission pass-through costs.  Using this method, the transmission price is calculated by an apportionment approach, using each electricity retailers’ consumers’ and directed bill consumers’ historic volume share at each GXP to determine their monthly transmission charges. We also compare the historic volume share to the actual volume share (due to changes in ICPs and/or volumes through ICPs) and issue a final wash-up invoice or credit note after the pricing year has finished.  

Our transmission charges are published as GXP based charges and can be found in our pricing schedule.
For further explanation on our transmission pass-through pricing, please refer to our pricing methodology.

Changing your Vector pricing category

Our pricing categories depend on the connection type and metering configuration at your property.

It may be possible for you to change your pricing category, but you may need to make changes to your connection. Please contact your electricity retailer to find out more.

Controlled pricing

In line with our symphony strategy to incentivise flexible load and to use our network more efficiently, Vector has a time of use distributed energy resource (DER) price category for low voltage, transformer and high voltage consumers.

To qualify, an application is required and a DER connection agreement must be in place between you and Vector for the relevant site. The ICP must also be connected to, or able to respond to, Vector’s DERMS (distributed energy resource management system). Please refer to our pricing schedule for further explanation on the initial application process.

From 1 April 2026, the demand charge [1] for commercial DER ICPs is set to zero, which is intended to support uptake of this tariff.

You can also get in touch with your electricity retailer if you want to know whether you’re eligible for the distributed energy resource price plan and would benefit from making a switch.

Connection charges 
Vector’s line charges are set to recover the costs of owning and operating the existing electricity distribution network.

When you add a new connection, or enhance an existing connection, on Vector’s electricity distribution network, then you will typically be required to pay an upfront one-off connection charge (referred to as capital contribution prior to 1 April 2026).

This charge covers the incremental costs Vector would not otherwise incur ‘but for’ the new connection or upgrade.

Connection charges generally include the cost of the connection at the point of supply and a development contribution towards the capital investment we make in the infrastructure that supports overall network growth. Charges for new and enhanced electricity connections differ depending on the complexity of the connection. 

Click here for more information on electricity connections.
Click here for detailed information on connection charges (previously called capital contributions).