Top 5 Tips for Finding a Power Company in Wellington, NZ

Want to change power providers but not sure where to begin? Is your contract almost up and this time around you’re looking to pay less? Are you confused about the entire process and terrified to make the wrong choice, only to find yourself locked into a lengthy plan? We have laid out some of the best power companies and the best tips to make searching through power companies Wellington options for you and your family simple. 

But first, Let’s look at the possibilities for power companies Wellington: 

There are many options for cheap power Wellington and it can be overwhelming determining the best option for your budget and needs. 

Wellington is the capitol of New Zealand, located on the North Island’s southern most point. It is home to culture, business and student life as well as booming tourism. This opens up many doors and opportunities for cheap power Wellington. 

Genesis Energy – The Largest and Has Most Possibilities 

Genesis Energy is a diversified power company, selling electricity, natural gas and LPG energy through their Customer Experience business. Genesis also has a 31% interest in the Kupe Joint Venture which owns the Kupe oil and gas field.

Genesis Energy and Energy Online are home to more than 650,000 customer connections across New Zealand. Genesis Energy is focused on attracting and keeping valuable residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout the country.

Customer service is an important key to Genesis Energy’s platform.

Genesis provides their energy services nationwide. In the North Island, Genesis can supplies piped-gas to the following regions: Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Wanganui, Kapiti Coast & the Wellington region. With so many options, it is no wonder Genesis is often regarded as having the best power prices Wellington offers. 

Mercury Energy – A Different Kind of Kiwi Power Company

The people at Mercury believe in “good energy” - the power of people helping people. Mercury Energy is a part of Mighty River Power - a major competitor in the New Zealand electricity market (Mighty River was named Energy Company of the year in 2010).

More than 90% of the power Mighty River generates is renewable, from low fuel-cost hydro and geothermal sources. 

Mercury gives you a choice in how you purchase power by offering the customer different products and plans to suit your needs. Whether it is making sure their customers get top service, doing good in the community, or simply sharing stories of the good energy in the world around us - they are proud of what they do.

Meridian Energy – A Commitment to Greener Energy Production

Meridian Energy has established ten wind farms in Australia and New Zealand, including the world's first wind farm at Ross Island Antarctica. Meridian Energy are also guardians of some of New Zealand's most iconic hydro assets, including Manapouri which is located in a world heritage site. 

Meridian Energy are listed on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges and is approximately 51% owned by the New Zealand Government. As of 30 June 2014, We were 85% owned by New Zealanders or New Zealand fund managers. The Meridian Group employs approximately 800 full-time-equivalent employees and we have headquarters in New Zealand and offices in Australia. 

Meridian Energy supply electricity nationwide. You can be sure to have an excellent service in Wellington and elsewhere. 

Energy Online – The Best Flexibility and Customer Satisfaction 

Energy Online did all the thinking for you and came up with ways to deliver amazing energy solutions. They have great electricity and gas prices with none of the tie-ups in lengthy, not flexible contracts.

Additionally, they are an award winning power-company, and proud of it. They have won the Roy Morgan customer satisfaction award for 2011, 2012 and 2013.

The best part? You can sign up with Energy Online in just 5 minutes.

With Energy Online: 

1. Receive up to $100 off your first energy bill
2. Up to 20% prompt payment discount
3. No Contract
4. Friendly Prices

Nova – Straightforward and Award-Winning 

Nova Energy keeps things straightforward and easy to understand; since their team is based right here in New Zealand, you can talk to a local person whenever you need to talk to Nova customer service. These are just some of the reasons they've won awards for their service - like the Roy Morgan customer satisfaction award for gas provider of the year 2012 and 2013. 

Whether its electricity, natural gas or LPG, you can buy it from Nova. Nova Energy has its own electricity generation capability, and sources natural gas and LPG. Nova supply energy for all kinds of industries and all sizes of firms, from building an on-site co-generation plant for New Zealand's largest dairy company, to being the preferred energy supplier to the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, and providing thousands of small businesses across the country with all their energy needs. 

Nova also likes to do our bit for the environment - so their electricity comes from a mix of energy types including renewable energy options. Nova are also exploring future electricity generation technologies such as tidal. At Nova Energy they aim to keep their costs as lean as possible so they can provide you with great value energy. 

More than 100,000 Kiwi families and businesses have switched to Nova Energy because they've helped them save on their energy bill. Nova provide a smart mix of energy options to suit your family's needs and they offer great service. 

TrustPower – Customer/company Trust is in Their Name 

Trustpower is New Zealand's fifth largest electricity generator (in terms of MW capacity, GWh output and revenue) and the fourth largest electricity retailer (in customer numbers), serving 260,000 customers throughout New Zealand. The company owns and operates 34 power stations. It generates 100% of its electricity using renewable energy sources, primarily hydro-electric but also wind farms.

Powershop – Leaders in Customer Service 

Powershop, backed by Meridian Energy, focuses on making shopping for electricity easy and enjoyable, and created the tools people need to understand how much power they use, giving them the control to lower their bills. Today Powershops' Wellington headquarters are bursting at the seams, their Customer Service Centre is adding vibrancy to the rural Wairarapa township of Masterton and Powershop have a thriving frontier in Melbourne, Australia.

Ari Sargent has been working in the power industry for over twenty years. As an executive on the wholesale side, he used to wonder why things had to be so complicated for power users; indecipherable bills combined with complicated tariffs and contracts was often followed up with frustratingly unresponsive customer service. 

So setting up Powershop was a way for Ari to use all his industry knowledge and combine it with his inner technology geek, to make things easier for electricity customers. Powershop wants to hear from you. Powershop talk to users day and night online and via social media. That way, everyone can join in on the conversation and issues are dealt with quickly and openly. Powershop have a fantastic rating managing to score over 90% in the last 6 years in the Consumer NZ customer service survey.

Contact – The Only Fly Buy Services 

Contact Energy are one of the country's largest listed companies and the only electricity and natural gas supplier that rewards our residential customers with Fly Buys. Contact Energy is a reliable company you can trust. They keep the lights burning, the hot water running and the BBQ fired up.

Contact's focus is on delivering great value, great products and great service to their customers.

Contact Energys electricity generation business is focused on meeting New Zealand's energy needs in a safe, reliable and efficient manner. Over recent years Contact Energy have been building a more flexible portfolio by introducing new power generation assets. This diversity has enabled them to respond more efficiently to changing electricity market conditions.

Pulse Energy – A South Island Winner 

Pulse Energy is a South Island owned energy retailer providing electricity and gas, servicing almost 55,000 customers throughout New Zealand. As Pulse Energy are independent it enables them to purchase the best priced generation on the market and pass the benefits onto their customers.

Pulse Energy promises refreshing, straight forward, peace of mind electricity supply to all of their customers. If you're looking for an electricity retailer doing all it can to bring the lowest possible prices for power to consumers' homes and businesses then Pulse Energy may be for you.

At Pulse Energy they believe in transparency and that includes being honest and open about their pricing and offering product choices tailored to meet all customers' requirements. For example, at Pulse Energy they don't increase their prices so that they can give a prompt payment discount. Pulse Energy prefer to offer the best price they can from the start.

Pulse Energy is now 100% South Island owned with origins in Alexandra and Westport but that doesn’t mean Wellington and other areas in the North Island can’t also benefit from Pulse Energy.

Electric Kiwi – The Smaller, Smarter, Independent Power Company 

Electric Kiwi is an independent digital electricity company. As an independent company, they are here to give the status quo a shake. Electric Kiwi believe Kiwis should be getting more from their electricity provider, while doing and paying less. When starting out, they saw that electricity options were, in many cases, unnecessarily complex. Multiple discounts, joining specials and one-off deals clouded the real price. And though smart meters were being rolled out across the country, few providers had taken up the challenge to do anything smart with them. Electric Kiwi saw a gap for a company that could maximize smart technology to offer electricity that was cheaper, smarter and easy to manage.

Electric Kiwi - The smaller, smarter power company. 
Electric Kiwi use smart technology to bring Kiwis guaranteed savings in their first year and low electricity prices every day.

Ok so now you probably want to hear the tips:

1) Determine you Budget Before you Begin 

Before you search for a company or plan, have a clear idea of exactly how much you want to budget for your power provider. If you don’t have an idea of exactly the money you can spend, it will be difficult to narrow the best options from a long list of providers. 

Determine exactly how much you can afford to spend each month on your power supply. Then determine what you definitely need from your power company. This will make the first few steps of the Glimp process easier since the first steps will ask for this information. That way, it will be even easier for Glimp to find cheap power Wellington options for you. 

2) Have an idea of how long you will need power at your location 

Know about how long you will need power to your home, which will help you determine the plan you want to commit to. Are you renting a home for just one year? Are you renting your home but know you will stay for 2 years or more? Or are you a homeowner looking for a long-term contract? Whether you are looking at a short term or long term contract will help you settle on an exact plan and determine the best power provider company for your needs. 

The longer your contract, the cheaper, generally, your plan can be. Often, you also have to pay an expensive fee if you end up moving homes and cancelling your plan. Knowing exactly how long or even having an idea of how long you will be staying in one location will help you avoid these unwanted, exorbitant costs. 

3) Know What Form of Energy You Want – Consider a Greener Source 

Power comes in many forms. Some are non-renewable fossil fuels that, once used, cannot be replenished at the same speed in which we use them in. These forms of energy are significant contributors to greenhouse gases and also contribute to pollution in our lands, water and air. 

New Zealand has historically been an active participant of environmentally friendly, sustainable practices. This includes in the production of energy, nationally. 

Certain power companies are committed to having values that align with Kiwi resident’s desire for sustainable daily practices. For example, Meridian power company is one of the most significant contributors to helping the New Zealand government reach its target of 90% renewable energy by 2025. Meridian Energy is fifty percent owned by the Kiwi Government and uses one hundred percent renewable energy. Their wind farms and hydro stations generate enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes in Wellington each year. 

4) Examine Your Energy Needs

As with choosing a broadband service provider or bank to keep your money in, examining the conditions and occasions you will need energy for is an important step in choosing a plan. What do you need energy for? How much will your household or business use energy and at what caliber? What sort of infrastructure does your building have to support this energy system? 

All of these questions and similar ones hold a particular weight in your decision in choosing a power company provider. Answering these questions before you begin your search is a good first step toward your ideal provider and plan. 

5) Identify What is Most Important to You 

Certain power companies specialize in different accepts within the niche of providing power. While some place importance on providing the cheapest power, others provide excellent customer service and user friendly, online platforms in exchange for a higher fee. 

Determine what aspect of your plan is most important for you and filter your search options accordingly. 

Compare Power Companies in Wellington

And just like that, that’s New Zealand’s top energy companies and the tips to choosing the exact best power companies Wellington has out there for you.  We know this can be a lot to take in but we have a solution for that too; use Glimp to make it even easier for you! 

Having read our reviews and top tips on finding the best power companies in Wellington, you’re now set to search for and find the right electricity plan for your home or business. Each of the 10 Wellington power companies that we’ve listed have their own individual benefits, and it’s now up to you to now match these with your own energy needs.

Whether you’re wanting to change providers, you’re moving house or you want to find out if you’re simply wanting to see if you’re getting the cheapest electricity prices, we’ve got you sorted here at Glimp. From the Kapiti Coast to the Hutt Valley to Wellington Central and everywhere in-between, we’ve got the latest electricity plans from Wellington’s leading power companies. 

Glimp is fast, easy and (best of all) 100% FREE! In just minutes you can have all your options laid out clearly for you. While you’re at it, use Glimp’s platform to search for a broadband provider and credit card company as well. Try it today and we guarantee a process that won’t give you a headache!