Electrify NZ 2.0: a nine-point plan on power bills, including a Home Energy Fund
Pitched as tackling the costs that push up power bills through more supply, more competition and more choice for households and businesses.
π National: Affordable power Kiwis can rely on, October 2026 β
What it does
- Gives households and businesses with solar or a battery the right to sell exported power to any power company, and lets customers choose an accredited contractor for connection work.
- Reviews the rules that set lines charges, and requires residential and small business solar connections to be signed off within two working days.
- Writes affordability into law as a core objective of the Electricity Authority, and opens up the backup power market to deal with dry years.
- Launches the Home Energy Fund, jointly owned by central government and participating councils, offering low-interest loans repaid over ten years through rates (or on sale of the property) for solar, batteries, insulation and heat pumps, for owners with at least 20 percent equity.
- Requires new AI data centres to bring their own new, firmed power, and lets developers and major users build and own new transmission in energy development zones.
The debate
Simeon Brown said wholesale prices have fallen but lines charges, red tape, weak competition and dry-year costs still add to bills. Labour energy spokesperson Megan Woods said "This is not a plan to bring power bills down", and Labour called it an "absolute fizzer". RNZ noted major similarities with ACT's electricity policy announced in September, and that some parts, such as the Home Energy Fund, had been announced earlier.
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Key milestones
National launches Electrify NZ 2.0
Simeon Brown released a nine-point plan to tackle power bills, including the right to sell solar power to any retailer, faster connections, a review of lines charges, an affordability objective for the Electricity Authority and a Home Energy Fund.
Labour says the plan will not bring bills down
RNZ reported Labour's Megan Woods said it was not a plan to bring power bills down. RNZ also noted major similarities with ACT's September electricity policy, and that some items, including the Home Energy Fund, had been announced before.
Sources
- National: Affordable power Kiwis can rely on (policy page) β
- National: Home Energy Fund (policy page) β
- Affordable power Kiwis can rely on (National Party, 2 Oct 2026) β
- National unveils nine-point energy plan to tackle power bills (RNZ, 2 Oct 2026) β