Projects frequently asked questions


1. What information do I need to supply?

- A detailed site plan; Resource Consent (if available); services plan; relevant HSE information 
- Contact details of: 

  • Customer (entity that will pay for the project)

  • Property Owner (if separate from customer)

  • Electrical / Gas Consultant

  • Site contact

- Connection requirements including: 

  • Number of new connections / ICPs

  • Fuse size / Load Estimate

  • Whether you require a builder's temporary supply

  • Whether the supply will be used for residential or commercial / industrial purposes

  • Proposed live date

Why do I need to talk to Vector early in my design process?
Every project needs a site-specific design for its electricity and gas supply. Early contact with us in your project design process will assist with accurate design and pricing of your electricity and gas supply.

2. What components will affect my price?
There are many aspects that affect the price you pay for the installation:

  • Size or capacity of supply (fuse size, transformer size, estimated consumption)

  • Complexity of the project (i.e. CBD location; existing services etc.)

  • Distance from our existing network

  • Amount of civil works and/or trenching 

  • Reticulation distances

  • Compliance costs (i.e. consents, road opening notices, traffic management)

  • Land base – some areas in Auckland have large areas of volcanic rock which can increase installation costs (if you are able to provide trenches in your development then costs can be kept to a minimum).


3. How long will it take?
Design development takes approximately 4 – 5 weeks assuming we have all the information we require; however, the design development of complex commercial projects takes more time and it is best to contact us as early as possible. The five stages of a customer project is described on our get connected page.

4. Why do I have to pay a design fee?
This enables us to engage one of our service provider’s design estimators to develop a detailed design. Further design related costs may be involved such as pole calculation; capacity logging or pilot hole costs. Completing these activities in the design stage provides more cost surety for the project and reduces potential variations.

5. Am I required to pay a customer contribution?
A 100% contribution applies to all customer-initiated projects. Vector’s policy for determining capital contributions can be found here.

6. Who will carry out the installation work? 
The work will be carried out by one of our approved service providers. These service providers have been carefully selected by Vector to work with us to provide all installation and maintenance services on our network.

7. Who owns the equipment? 
Vector usually owns the network equipment up to the point of supply. We are then responsible for the ongoing ownership and maintenance of these assets. Equipment beyond the point of supply is usually installed, owned and maintained by the customer.

8. Why does Vector need an easement?
Electricity and Gas Easements are important because they benefit both Vector and landowners by:

Protecting a landowner’s safety by formally recording the location of the gas and/or electricity reticulation equipment on their property title.

Allowing us to access your property so that we can legally operate, maintain or replace our equipment.

Easements are required to allow Vector owned gas and electricity equipment to be installed and to remain on private property and to provide us with essential ongoing access and maintenance rights to that equipment.
 
Vector owned equipment means equipment installed by us as part of our work supplying customers with electricity or gas, e.g. pits, poles, lines, cables, fuses and transformers, gas pipes, gas measurement systems, distribution systems and fittings and all other associated equipment
 
Private property includes privately and jointly owned roads in subdivisions, Council local purpose reserve land and Crown land.
 
Equipment installed on private property before 1 January 1993

For electricity and gas equipment installed on private property prior to 1 January 1993, we have existing use rights (which is a statutory right contained in the Electricity Act 1992) and do not usually require an easement UNLESS we need to install new equipment; then we will require an easement over all new equipment together with any existing equipment because it may no longer be protected by way of statutory rights.
 
We will advise a customer when an easement is required – either for new or existing electricity equipment.  Where an easement is required, the obligation to grant an easement will form part of your contract with us.
 
We have standard easement terms which grant us sufficient rights to access your property to inspect, operate and maintain our equipment.
 
To register an easement, following installation of equipment, either we or the customer will organise a survey plan (depending on our contract together) which shows the area that will be granted to Vector for our easement. A legal document called the ‘easement instrument’ is then prepared by our legal team and sent to your solicitor. The registration of the easement on your property title will be processed by us together with your lawyer.

9. How much space is required for substation equipment?
Substations consist of high voltage switchgear, transformers and low voltage fusing and their associated ‘housing’. Substation requirements are set out in our standards which are available on request. Details of specific sizes, safety requirements, and other factors will be provided by your assigned Vector contact.

  • Outdoor substations require you to allocate a suitable area of land on which to install a self-contained substation.

  • Indoor substations are often needed in high density areas (i.e. Auckland’s CBD) and require you to construct and maintain a suitable room.


10. Why do I need an energy retailer?
Energy retailers deliver and sell electricity and gas to customers. You will need to choose a retailer, who will arrange for your site / connection to be turned on. Your retailer will issue your bills for electricity and gas supply.