Electrification NZ

Electricity system

Generation, prices and demand

How electricity is produced and used, how wholesale prices move, and what capacity may be added.

Quarterly electricity generation by source

MBIE · Data through March 2026 quarter
The The share of electricity generation supplied by renewable sources such as hydro, geothermal, wind, solar, wood, biogas, and waste heat. varies with hydro inflows, wind conditions, outages and demand; each bar is labelled with its renewable percentage.
Generation per quarter (GWh)
2025 Q1Lower hydro output; non-renewable generation increased.
2026 Q1Renewables supplied 94.5% of generation.
Latest renewable share
94.5%
March 2026 quarter
Solar generation
373 GWh
March 2026 quarter
Non-renewable generation
564 GWh
March 2026 quarter
Analysis
Hydro conditions
Q1 2025 hydro output was 16.6% below Q1 2024
Lower hydro generation coincided with non-renewable generation rising to 1,702 GWh. This is a measured association; several supply and demand factors can affect the quarterly mix.
Wind conditions
Q3 2025 wind generation was down 9.3% year on year
MBIE linked the fall to below-average July and August wind speeds in the lower North Island. Stronger hydro in the same quarter partly offset the wind decline.
Latest quarter
Q1 2026 renewable share reached 94.5%
Hydro output recovered, solar generation was 50.2% higher than a year earlier, and gas and coal generation fell sharply.
Data table
Quarterly electricity generation by source data
Period or categoryHydroGeothermalWindSolarOther renewablesNon-renewables
2024 Q15.8k GWh2.0k GWh926 GWh148 GWh194 GWh1.5k GWh
2024 Q25.8k GWh2.2k GWh822 GWh109 GWh186 GWh2.1k GWh
2024 Q35.6k GWh2.4k GWh1.1k GWh124 GWh201 GWh2.2k GWh
2024 Q46.3k GWh2.2k GWh1.1k GWh196 GWh197 GWh591 GWh
2025 Q14.9k GWh2.4k GWh730 GWh249 GWh154 GWh1.7k GWh
2025 Q25.5k GWh2.5k GWh967 GWh155 GWh140 GWh1.7k GWh
2025 Q36.8k GWh2.6k GWh998 GWh217 GWh140 GWh1.3k GWh
2025 Q46.8k GWh2.2k GWh1.1k GWh338 GWh147 GWh374 GWh
2026 Q15.9k GWh2.5k GWh877 GWh373 GWh167 GWh564 GWh
Source
New Zealand Energy QuarterlyMBIE · Source updated 11 June 2026

Quarterly electricity generation and demand through March 2026.

Generation groups follow MBIE's quarterly electricity tables. Other renewables combines biogas, wood, and waste heat; non-renewables combines oil, coal, and gas.

Next expected update: 10 September 2026

Open official sourceDownload Generation CSVDownload Demand CSVDataset details

Monthly wholesale electricity spot price

Electricity Authority · Data through June 2026
The national demand-weighted The spot-market price paid for electricity before retail charges, network charges, levies, and GST. responds to the combined state of supply, demand, storage, fuel and the transmission network.
Nominal NZ$/MWh, national demand-weighted monthly average
2024 AugHighest monthly average in the displayed series.
2026 JanLowest monthly average in the displayed series.
Highest month shown
$488.61/MWh
August 2024
Latest month
$41.68/MWh
June 2026
Analysis
Measured peak
August 2024 averaged $488.61/MWh
This is the highest monthly national demand-weighted price in the displayed January 2019 to June 2026 series.
Interpretation
No single input explains every price movement
Hydro storage, fuel availability, outages, transmission constraints and demand can all affect the marginal generator and wholesale price.
Data table
Monthly wholesale electricity spot price data
Period or categoryWholesale spot price
2019 Jan$134/MWh
2019 Feb$169/MWh
2019 Mar$183/MWh
2019 Apr$113/MWh
2019 May$112/MWh
2019 Jun$110/MWh
2019 Jul$112/MWh
2019 Aug$134/MWh
2019 Sep$128/MWh
2019 Oct$131/MWh
2019 Nov$110/MWh
2019 Dec$36.39/MWh
2020 Jan$91.93/MWh
2020 Feb$68.43/MWh
2020 Mar$66.31/MWh
2020 Apr$48.6/MWh
2020 May$135/MWh
2020 Jun$171/MWh
2020 Jul$156/MWh
2020 Aug$118/MWh
2020 Sep$139/MWh
2020 Oct$124/MWh
2020 Nov$97.83/MWh
2020 Dec$118/MWh
2021 Jan$141/MWh
2021 Feb$251/MWh
2021 Mar$261/MWh
2021 Apr$281/MWh
2021 May$302/MWh
2021 Jun$269/MWh
2021 Jul$188/MWh
2021 Aug$125/MWh
2021 Sep$91.92/MWh
2021 Oct$70.1/MWh
2021 Nov$87.24/MWh
2021 Dec$61.22/MWh
2022 Jan$164/MWh
2022 Feb$151/MWh
2022 Mar$208/MWh
2022 Apr$206/MWh
2022 May$221/MWh
2022 Jun$174/MWh
2022 Jul$109/MWh
2022 Aug$50.89/MWh
2022 Sep$60.47/MWh
2022 Oct$78.7/MWh
2022 Nov$42.16/MWh
2022 Dec$19.18/MWh
2023 Jan$124/MWh
2023 Feb$155/MWh
2023 Mar$152/MWh
2023 Apr$93.01/MWh
2023 May$71.12/MWh
2023 Jun$96.86/MWh
2023 Jul$118/MWh
2023 Aug$145/MWh
2023 Sep$123/MWh
2023 Oct$123/MWh
2023 Nov$146/MWh
2023 Dec$181/MWh
2024 Jan$202/MWh
2024 Feb$157/MWh
2024 Mar$226/MWh
2024 Apr$228/MWh
2024 May$314/MWh
2024 Jun$269/MWh
2024 Jul$375/MWh
2024 Aug$489/MWh
2024 Sep$85.84/MWh
2024 Oct$58.59/MWh
2024 Nov$32.56/MWh
2024 Dec$33.34/MWh
2025 Jan$123/MWh
2025 Feb$274/MWh
2025 Mar$300/MWh
2025 Apr$332/MWh
2025 May$210/MWh
2025 Jun$130/MWh
2025 Jul$112/MWh
2025 Aug$181/MWh
2025 Sep$118/MWh
2025 Oct$33.72/MWh
2025 Nov$67.02/MWh
2025 Dec$13.76/MWh
2026 Jan$3.66/MWh
2026 Feb$48.79/MWh
2026 Mar$152/MWh
2026 Apr$104/MWh
2026 May$80.99/MWh
2026 Jun$41.68/MWh
Source
EMI wholesale price reportElectricity Authority · Source updated 30 June 2026

Monthly national demand-weighted final wholesale spot prices from January 2019 to June 2026.

Prices are nominal New Zealand dollars per megawatt-hour and are weighted by electricity demand.

Next expected update: Monthly

Open official sourceDownload Price CSVDataset details

Grid-connected solar capacity by status

Electricity Authority · Data through 9 February 2026
Operating and announced capacity are different stages. Announced projects may be delayed, changed, or cancelled.
Megawatts of capacity
Analysis
Status distinction
248 MW is operating; 783 MW is announced
Announced capacity is an indication of possible build-out, not a forecast. Projects still depend on approvals, financing, construction and connection.
Data table
Grid-connected solar capacity data
Period or categoryCapacity
Operating248 MW
Announced pipeline783 MW
Source
Grid-connected solar is having its time in the sunElectricity Authority · Source updated 9 February 2026

Operating grid-connected solar capacity and the announced 2026/27 project pipeline.

Announced pipeline capacity is not yet operating. Projects can be delayed, changed, or cancelled.

Open official sourceDownload Solar status CSVDataset details

Quarterly electricity demand by sector

MBIE · Data through March 2026 quarter
Residential demand has the largest seasonal movement. Industrial and commercial demand are steadier across the displayed quarters.
Demand per quarter (GWh)
Total demand
9,518 GWh
March 2026 quarter
Industrial demand
3,335 GWh
March 2026 quarter
Data table
Quarterly electricity demand by sector data
Period or categoryResidentialIndustrialCommercialAgricultureOther
2024 Q12.8k GWh3.3k GWh2.2k GWh978 GWh344 GWh
2024 Q23.6k GWh3.4k GWh2.3k GWh619 GWh358 GWh
2024 Q34.5k GWh2.8k GWh2.5k GWh451 GWh367 GWh
2024 Q43.2k GWh3.0k GWh2.1k GWh722 GWh343 GWh
2025 Q12.8k GWh3.2k GWh2.2k GWh827 GWh344 GWh
2025 Q23.4k GWh3.2k GWh2.3k GWh542 GWh358 GWh
2025 Q34.5k GWh3.1k GWh2.6k GWh462 GWh367 GWh
2025 Q43.2k GWh3.4k GWh2.3k GWh824 GWh343 GWh
2026 Q12.9k GWh3.3k GWh2.2k GWh735 GWh345 GWh
Source
New Zealand Energy QuarterlyMBIE · Source updated 11 June 2026

Quarterly electricity generation and demand through March 2026.

Generation groups follow MBIE's quarterly electricity tables. Other renewables combines biogas, wood, and waste heat; non-renewables combines oil, coal, and gas.

Next expected update: 10 September 2026

Open official sourceDownload Generation CSVDownload Demand CSVDataset details