Podcasts about electricity authority

In today's episode, most authorities backed the creation of a national financial sanctions implementation unit, meeting Cyprus' obligations to EU law, but lawyers bucked the trend and pointed to problems with the underlying legislation.Meanwhile, The Electricity Authority of Cyprus and the energy regulator will meet sometime this week in a bid to settle on a formula on how to bring down the price of electricity, the government spokesman said on Monday.Also, two boats carrying Syrian migrants to Cyprus were intercepted and returned to Syria without entering the Republic's ports, via an agreement between the Cypriot government and the transitional Syrian regime of Ahmed al-Sharaa, it was reported on Monday.All this and more in today's Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, the three most significant outcomes of the informal Geneva conference were the appointment of a UN personal envoy, the scheduling of a new meeting in July, and a joint letter from the EU leaders to the UN Secretary-General, President Nikos Christodoulides said in an interview with Phileleftheros on Sunday.Elsewhere, the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) has been carrying out underground cabling works for months as part of efforts to minimise the risk of wildfires, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said on Sunday.Also, nearly 10,000 applications have been submitted so far for an electronic identity card (eID), with more than 5,600 already issued, the Cyprus News Agency reported on Saturday.All this and more in today's Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

High hopes for proposed changes to the electricity sector. The Electricity Authority is proposing new rules, giving independent power companies the same access to hedge contracts and access to the same wholesale prices. Electric Kiwi was forced to turn away new customers last winter due to surging wholesale prices. Chief Executive Huia Burt told Mike Hosking these changes will be a game-changer. She says this is what they've been fighting for – a level playing field, for sharper pricing, more investment, and more affordable energy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Energy Minister says new rules for the electricity sector can't come soon enough. The Electricity Authority's proposing changes to give independent power companies the same access to prices and hedge contracts. Simon Watts hopes that will create a more level playing field. Power companies are hiking prices, and Watts told Mike Hosking things could get worse as we head into winter. He says conditions are dry, lake levels are lower than they were this time last year, and we still have a gas shortage. Watts says the situation is acute and he's worried. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steps are being taken to level the energy playing field. The Electricity Authority is proposing new measures to stop the big four electricity companies from giving preferential treatment to their own retail arms. It's working to increase competition - aiming to ultimately give consumers more choices and lower prices. Energy Minister Simon Watts says things need to change. He says prices are too high and are negatively impacting productivity and economic growth. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changing the rules of the electricity sector is one thing, getting the sector to follow the rules could be another. The Electricity Authority is proposing requiring the four main electricity generators to sell power to independent companies at the same price they sell power to themselves. The independents would also get the same access to hedge contracts, protecting them from price fluctuations. Mike Casey —the chief executive of electrification advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa— told Andrew Dickens the rules need to be given teeth. He says there is a lot of work that needs to be done to make sure this actually happens, rather than being enforced after the fact. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More changes are on the way for the electricity sector, as power prices continue to rise. The Electricity Authority's proposing new measures to stop the big four electricity companies giving their own retail arms preferential treatment. The Government's lifting restrictions to allow lines companies to invest more in electricity generation. And Meridian Energy Chief Financial Officer Mike Roan told Mike Hosking the sector's also looking at how they can shore up energy supplies after being caught out by the gas shortage. He says they're scrambling, dusting off old contingency plans from 10 to 15 years ago. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The electricity regulator wants households with solar to be paid more for helping the grid when it's stressed. The Electricity Authority is asking for feedback on a proposal from its Energy Competition Task Force set up at the height of last year's energy crisis. Transpower is warning there's an increased risk of very high power prices in 2025 because of a drop in gas forecasts and coal stockpiles. The grid owner says peak capacity risks will persist this year until there is more investment in sources of flexible electricity generation - such as via batteries or 'demand management' when users reduce electricity consumption. The EA's proposal would require lines companies to pay a rebate when consumers supply electricity back to the grid. The complaint up to now from those with solar is they receive less for the electricity they generate, than what they are charged for what they take in off the grid. The authority is taking submissions until March 25. Rewiring Aotearoa chief executive Mike Casey is praising the authority for the move but says it needs to go further. Tracey Kai, chief executive at Electricity Networks Aotearoa, has concerns the move is beneficial to those who can afford solar systems.

The Electricity Authority's report in to a toppled pylon has found the collapse was entirely avoidable. The Transpower pylon north of Helensville fell - cutting power to 88,000 people in Northland - after unsupervised, inexperienced maintenance crews undid three legs at once. The report found there was evidence removing all the nuts wasn't a one-off event. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this incident came with significant economic impacts to Northland. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority said market options were available to big power users during the winter price spike that some blamed for their closure. The closures prompted the EA – the regulator – to investigate the options available to big power users, and it found hedges available tended to be lower than the overlapping average ASX price at the time. Last month, a number of Kiwi businesses, including Pan Pac, Winstone Pulp and Oji were forced to close, citing surging electricity costs. ERANZ chief executive Bridget Abernethy says the prices were higher than usual - but the companies had alternative options to bring their costs down. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority said market options were available to big power users during the winter price spike that some blamed for their closure. The closures prompted the EA – the regulator – to investigate the options available to big power users, and it found hedges available tended to be lower than the overlapping average ASX price at the time. Last month, a number of Kiwi businesses, including Pan Pac, Winstone Pulp and Oji were forced to close, citing surging electricity costs. ERANZ chief executive Bridget Abernethy says the prices were higher than usual - but the companies had alternative options to bring their costs down. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Energy Minister says he's focused on making sure Kiwis pay reasonable prices for power. The Government's released its Policy Statement on electricity - outlining the role of the Government and the Electricity Authority. Simeon Brown says their role is ensuring correct market settings - and enabling private investment. He says the Authority's job is driving a more competitive sector that avoids excessive prices. Brown told Francesca Rudkin they don't want the Authority concerning themselves with things they don't need to. “The Electricity Authority needs to ensure that they are focused on competition, affordability and security of supply, and that they're not focused on what type of fuel is actually being used.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Friday 11 October 2024, the Electricity Authority has been told to get more competitive as it tries to curb soaring electricity prices. Energy Minister Simeon Brown joins Francesca to discuss the Government's expectations. Sailing Professor Mark Orams discusses Team New Zealand taking on the British team of INEOS Britannia as the 37th America's Cup gets underway on Sunday morning. Kiwis are leaving the country in record numbers and Professor of Sociology at University of Auckland Francis Collins explains what this means for NZ's future population. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A massive Northland power outage caused by a toppling Transpower pylon was entirely avoidable and a senior engineer had raised concerns about maintenance crew training two years earlier. This is according to a report by the Electricty Authority into the incident that cut power to 88,000 homes and businesses in June, causing economic losses of up to 80 million dollars. The Electricity Authority report released today found a senior engineer had suggested Transpower beef up training for its maintenance crews including refresher courses, after identifying a "knowledge gap." However, Transpower did not act and it wasn't a one off, Darryn Fisher chief executive of the Northland Chamber of Commerce spoke to Lisa Owen.

On today's episode, on Wednesday, ANZ's chief executive Antonia Watson told RNZ it was time for such a tax, and now we've heard that the Internal Revenue Department also is considering the benefits, a report from the Electricity Authority's revels Northland's massive power outage in June could have been avoided, there is talk of a ground invasion in Lebanon from Israel, as tension in the area rockets up, and the government is promising to clamp down on the sale of nitrous oxide, but the New Zealand Drug Foundation would like to see them ensure naloxone is widely available as well.

A report from the Electricity Authority's revels Northland's massive power outage in June could have been avoided. Transpower Executive General Manager of Grid Delivery Mark Ryall spoke to Corin Dann.

Transpower says contractor Omexom is working through its own recommendations after the June pylon topple that caused a power outage in Northland.   An Electricity Authority report found bad practice that caused the Transpower tower to topple had probably happened before.   Unsupervised, inexperienced maintenance crews from contractor Omexom unfastened three legs at once.   Transpower Executive General Manager Mark Ryall told Mike Hosking you do need to be able to train people on the job, otherwise they'll never become competent.   But he says a trainee needs to be under direct supervision, and in this case they weren't adequately supervised.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority's report in to a toppled pylon has found the collapse was entirely avoidable. The Transpower pylon north of Helensville fell - cutting power to 88,000 people in Northland - after unsupervised, inexperienced maintenance crews undid three legs at once. The report found there was evidence removing all the nuts wasn't a one-off event. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this incident came with significant economic impacts to Northland. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Energy Minister has been quick to criticise Transpower's conduct that led to the collapse of a Northland power pylon. A new report by the Electricity Authority revealed one of the company's senior engineers had warned crews doing foundation work had knowledge gaps before the pylon toppled in June. Minister Simeon Brown says this failure was 'unacceptable' and 'avoidable'. "Ultimately, Transpower didn't do anything in relation to addressing those concerns in 2021 - and that has led to what happened in Northland in June this year." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two mill closures in the central North Island this week leave at least 230 people out of work, devastating the local economy. Much of the blame has been placed on power prices and the gentailers raking in big profits. Political Reporter Russell Palmer looks into how the government responded and what the Electricity Authority plans to do next time there's a dry year.

A relatively new player in the New Zealand power market has hit out at the Electricity Authority and Government amid the power crisis.   Octopus Energy says that the closure of Winstone Pulp is a sign that urgent change is needed.  They believe the Government's decision to scrap the Lake Onslow reservoir project has discouraged electricity investment.  COO Margaret Cooney told Mike Hosking it could have helped tackle the issue of competition in New Zealand's electricity market.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday the Prime Minister announced what we all know to be true, that we have an energy security crisis.   We seem to have been having them for a while now, every winter there are concerns about brownouts. The Electricity Authority put it into plain English on their website - winter sees the highest demand for electricity, obviously, also when it's unseasonably cold in autumn or spring, that can cause high demand periods. The winter peak capacity reflects the ability of the electricity system to meet high winter demand. So typically, solar doesn't produce electricity during peak demand periods in winter because it's dark. Wind generation, which is 10% of New Zealand's electricity generation capacity and growing, isn't reliable because, who knew, but cool temperatures bring low wind speeds. So solar is out, wind generation is out during winter.   That leaves hydro, geothermal, and thermal generation to provide the bulk of electricity during high demand periods. Geothermal already runs at near full capacity, so only thermal and hydro can ramp up and down to meet the winter peaks. But when you have a perfect storm, as the Prime Minister called it yesterday, winter peak capacity and a dry year, when low rainfall sees the hydro lake levels fall below average for an extended period of time, hydropower can't ramp up. There's no water there, they can't push the turbines.   So then we have to burn coal. Coal use soared in 2021 to the highest in about 30 odd years. Then coal use plummeted in 2022, reflecting the vagaries of the weather and the fact that some more renewables were coming online. But while solar and wind can store some excess energy using batteries, that's limited to only a few hours' worth of electricity, and isn't enough to manage a situation where rainfall is below average for weeks to months. So there are all sorts of solutions being explored to try and make up for those dry years during winter.   I mean it makes perfect sense, doesn't it? We've known about this for a very, very long time. We are dependent on rainfall during winter, we use more electricity during winter. If there is a dry year, we have to get the energy from somewhere, and right now our choices are coal, coal, and coal. So we are exploring the renewables, but why are we still exploring them when we've known for a very, very long time that people are concerned about climate change, that the world is moving to renewables. Why are we still exploring them?   Chris Luxon says while we're exploring the renewables, we need to reverse the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration and take urgent steps to bring liquefied natural gas into the country to offset the energy shortages because our exporters need certainty, they need to know that the factories will keep running so they can sell our products, so we can make some money. Forgive me if this is all very 101 but this is what we need to know: we need to know that when we turn on the switch at the factory, the power will come on. And if we're concerned about burning coal, we need to have something to replace it. And we don't have anything secure yet, so the Prime Minister has said let's bring in liquefied natural gas, which other countries use to sort of level out electricity supply. So he's also looking at the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration being reversed. That's been in place since Labour came to power in 2018 outside of onshore Taranaki.   The opposition parties, in a shocking revelation, are dead against the importation of liquefied natural gas, seeing it as just another fossil fuel. But we need certainty and security so what's their solution? There are a number of questions though. We may be open for exploration but would oil and gas companies want to come here? Especially if Labour goes ‘no, dead against it, we're not having a bar of it, fossil fuels are dead and gone'. So why would you come here, given the electoral cycle? Also, in 2012, Petrobras, the Brazilian oil company that came here to do a little bit of a looksie to see if they could make money out of exploiting oil and gas here, they pulled out. They got the license and the permit in 2010, they pulled out in 2012 because they said there weren't enough indicators for them to continue. All very well to reverse the ban, but would people come here?   And on the renewables, when you have the four big generation and retail power companies recording their largest single year rise in earnings this year, what's that all about? If we are the majority shareholders, which we are, and we are in the middle of an energy security crisis, then why can't we push them into spending more of their money, more of their profits, into the renewables? Fast track it, get them cracking.    This was along the lines of what Mike Hosking asked Christopher Luxon, the Prime Minister, when he was on this morning.  “You know we'll keep an eye on the level of profitability, but they also need confidence to invest because we want them, and I know they will, to spend huge amounts of capital on actually, you know, doubling that renewable electricity in geothermal, and wind, and solar, and all the stuff that needs to happen. So as I said, it is about making sure that we're giving people confidence, and that's what the announcement was about yesterday, was to say to many of those international investors who want to do the offshore engineering solution for LNG implementation, who want to do exploration for gas, who actually want to know that can go. A huge number of the projects that Chris Bishop's looking at on the Fast Track Approvals are people want to do renewable projects, but actually, the consenting times insane. It's absolutely insane. So let's just change the rules, make it a year, extend the consents, all that good stuff.”   As a majority shareholder, and I know normally you wouldn't interfere in the running of a company, no, put those billions collectively of dollars of profits into renewables right now, and we'll make it easier as the government to fast track those projects you want in place. Chris Hipkins says there is already consented renewable electricity that could be built right now but these big gentailers are choosing not to build them because it's in their commercial interest to keep energy scarce and maximize profits, which would be economic sabotage if that is true. And you'd have to take that, anything I suppose, a politician says with a grain of salt, but if they are already consented, why aren't they being now?   I have more questions than I have answers for you, so I am looking to you for the answers, those of you who know more than I! We know we have an energy security crisis. Chris Hipkins says that there are consents in place. We could get cracking if the gentailers want to. They have made squillions, so it's not like they're wondering where their next buck is coming from. They've made millions from us, we're the ones paying the price every single time for decisions made by these big companies and by governments. So get cracking with the renewables, government, do your work by fast tracking these already consented projects. They need to start. The gentailers need to start on those. Any that are still waiting for consents, we fast track them. Oil and gas exploration? Sure. reverse the ban, but is anybody interested in coming here? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, a private construction project by a well-connected Greek Cypriot architect has sparked protests after appropriating a waterfall on Kryos Potamos, a Troodos river known for the Caledonian and Millomeri falls. Meanwhile, the government has urged the Electricity Authority to implement immediate measures to reduce the risk of fires caused by faulty equipment or power cables. Elsewhere, since April, the British bases have issued €8,700 in fines for the illegal use of hunting dogs in game reserve areas, emphasising a strict zero-tolerance policy. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

The Electricity Authority says there's no need to launch an official campaign asking people to save power. The authority's chief executive Sarah Gillies spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

So, what to make of the so-called power crisis?  About this time yesterday Mike Fuge from Contact Energy gave an eloquent defence of the power industry.  He said it works fine, we are in a period of transition, the investment is being made and it will all work out well in the end.  Tell that to the mills who have so far closed, or stopped, and the workers who are waiting to hear whether they have jobs.  Tell that to the businesses paying double what they did last year for power.  Tell that to the farming sector, the likes of Fonterra, who say this now affects our export competitiveness.  They claim they have been arguing for industry reform for ages now. ANZCO, who are into meat, are paying twice what they were last year, and you know who that gets passed onto.  In the meantime, the Government is looking at liquefied natural gas.  Contact claimed yesterday on this show an announcement was coming on gas. Let's hope it's good.  And at some point we may or may not hear from the Commerce Commission or the Electricity Authority.  Although, if you have followed the various scraps of late over things like petrol, or building supplies, or supermarkets, or banks, when the likes of authorities get involved it appears to be more headline noise than any actual change.  The big picture is the key here. If we can't make enough power now, even with the arrival of the new stuff like the geothermal power and the wind and the solar, where do EV's, data centres and AI fit in?  Whether at a crisis point or not, power is too expensive in this country and not just too expensive, but clearly unreliable.  Three main things drive the industry currently - rain, gas, and wind.  There isn't enough rain currently.  We stopped looking for gas and current reserves are running out.  The wind isn't blowing.  That's three good options on paper but in reality, it doesn't work.  So the industry says don't panic but the users say it's a crisis and our exports are being hit.  It seems to me this is a job for the Government. Jawboning, to this point, hasn't and isn't working. Leaving it to the market isn't working.  If you don't have power, you are third world.  We look, currently, pretty third world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the country's largest electricity generators and retailers is adamant the market is working as it should be. The Electricity Authority and Commerce Commission are continuing to look into accusations of price gouging by so-called "gentailers" - companies that both generate electricity and provide it to consumers. It comes after four mills announced they were either downsizing or planning on shutting entirely, blaming soaring prices. Contact Energy chief executive Mike Fuge told Mike Hosking government interventions will slow the market down. “Government interventions have never had happy endings. And the same is what happened here when they announced the oil and gas ban. It hasn't had a good ending.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Associate minister of energy Shane Jones told Morning Report on Thursday that New Zealand's generator-retailers, or gen-tailers, are using those low lake levels to raise their profits enabled by a regulator he says is 'as useful as a chocolate teapot'. That regulator is the Electricity Authority. Its chief executive, Sarah Gillies, spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Electricity Authority and Commerce Commission have both been asked to investigate whether power companies are price gouging. Officials are also looking to import more liquefied natural gas to address the situation.  Energy minister Simeon Brown joins Mike Hosking to discuss.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Energy Minister says rising power costs are because of low supply. Heavy business users have warned spiking prices threaten their viability - including timber mills facing possible closure. The Electricity Authority and Commerce Commission has been asked to look at whether power companies are price gouging. The Government is also looking to import more liquefied natural gas. Simeon Brown says the last Government's ban on gas exploration was detrimental. "The key thing is that we have a shortage of energy - and that is what is driving this situation."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electric Kiwi is shutting its doors to new customers, blaming soaring wholesale energy prices.  The power retailer says prices have increased by nearly 50% in the past six months, and it has now reached a point where every new customer would lose it money.  It says the big four gentailers —Mercury, Contact, Meridian and Genesis— all made over $2 billion in record profits last year.  Electric Kiwi CEO Luke Blincoe told Mike Hosking the Electricity Authority and Commerce Commission have allowed market failure to happen under its watch.   He says we rely on the market to deliver an essential service efficiently and that's not happening with the current distortions.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Energy Minister Simeon Brown wants appropriate accountability over a fallen electricity tower.   Thousands of Northland residents experienced outages yesterday after a transmission tower toppled northwest of Auckland.  The Electricity Authority says it's investigating and Simeon Brown's asked WorkSafe to do the same.  Electricity Authority Chief Executive, Sarah Gillies, told Heather du Plessis-Allan “Consumers have a right to have confidence in their electricity supply.”  Gillies said “We're the regulator – and we're independent.”   LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority says Northlanders deserve answers - as it launches an investigation into a toppled electricity tower.   The region experienced outages yesterday after a transmission tower fell down northwest of Auckland.  Transpower says its workers were carrying out maintenance at the time and has started an investigation.  Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan “It knocked out power to 100,000 users.”   Soper said “Simeon Brown was there today – he said the event was completely unacceptable.”  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 21 June 2024, how did a power pylon just topple over and plunge a massive power outage? Electricity Authority boss Sarah Gillies speaks to Heather with two investigations now trying to figure that out.  Cabinet is reportedly about to sign off on a funding boost for Pharmac to fulfil its promise to fund more cancer drugs. Pharmac Minister David Seymour tells Heather it's important Pharmac's independency is preserved.  Chiefs Assistant Coach David Hill is confident ahead of the blockbuster Super Rugby Final, and the Sports Huddle weighs in on who will be named as All Blacks captain on Monday.  Plus, Rocket Lab has powered through another record and become the fastest commercial space operator to successfully launch 50 missions.  Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big changes for the Reserve Bank, as it appoints new members to its Monetary Policy Committee. University of Auckland macroeconomics professor Prasanna Gai and former Electricity Authority chief executive Carl Hansen will take up their posts later in the year. Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold explains what these new changes could mean for the future of the OCR. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big changes for the Reserve Bank, as it appoints new members to its Monetary Policy Committee. University of Auckland macroeconomics professor Prasanna Gai and former Electricity Authority chief executive Carl Hansen will take up their posts later in the year. Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold explains what these new changes could mean for the future of the OCR. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The electricity market regulator wants retailers to proactively tell their customers whether or not they are on the best power plan. 

Hello and welcome to today's episode of Gibraltar Today!As we've been reporting, the Electricity Authority is working on a battery energy storage system project.The announcement was made by Michael Caetano, the Gib Elec CEO.... It prompted the GSD Opposition to ask: why wasn't this part of the original plans for the power station?A question for the Minister for Utilities, Gemma Arias Vasquez who is here with us today.-We're also going to talk to Monique Grambow from MBS Well-being.MBS Well-being is accessible in most schools.We'll be discussing what's on offer, the importance of self-care and how the services might develop.-We also tell you about a story involving President George Bush, the UK Foreign Office, and the Spanish King.Jonathan Sacramento continues to look at newly declassified documents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Electricity Authority says power retailers are not properly applying voluntary guidelines to improve protections for consumers, and it wants to make some of the rules mandatory. In particular, it says medically dependent consumers, those in financial difficulty and those facing disconnection need better protection. The Authority has just begun public consultation on its Consumer Care Guidelines which were introduced in 2021, but left to the power sector to follow voluntarily. Kathryn speaks with Electricity Authority Chief Executive, Sarah Gillies.

In today's episode, visiting US Senator Robert Menendez on Thursday called on the United Nations Security Council to immediately pass a resolution denouncing recent Turkish actions in the buffer zone in Pyla and said his country should move from “condemnation to action” in its overall approach to the Cyprus issue. Elsewhere, four trade unions representing workers in the Electricity Authority of Cyprus on Thursday pilloried plans for the EuroAsia interconnector, warning that Cypriot taxpayers may end up getting saddled with even higher electricity bills. There's also the announcement that British bases police found an improvised explosive device during a search of residential properties in the village of Trachoni in the Akrotiri base area. All these and more in your Daily News Briefing, brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

Consumer is defending its contract to manage power switching, which it says is going really well. Consumer has the sole contract worth $1.4 million dollars a year from the Electricity Authority to do the work. Another business, NZ Compare wants to take on the contract and its chief executive, Gavin Male, says there's good reason for them to. Powerswitch manager at Consumer Paul Fuge spoke to Corin Dann.

In today's episode, the Electricity Authority of Cyprus is partly to blame for Cyprus' energy woes and high prices, but the state has let the people down, Energy Minister George Papanastasiou said on Thursday. Meanwhile, German chancellor Olaf Scholz said it will take great courage to break the impasse on the Cyprus problem negotiations, questioning whether all sides have enough willpower to do so. Elsewhere, the Cyprus Football Association has strongly denied what it called “offensive claims” moved by the former chairman of the sports ethics committee Andreas Papacharalambous during the House ethics committee on Wednesday. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

The Consumer Advocacy Council is calling for The Electricity Authority to make customer care guidelines mandatory. Electricity retailers have admitted to not fully complying with guidelines, including ensuring customers are on the best pricing plan and medically dependent customers can't be disconnected without notice. Council Chair Deborah Hart isn't surprised that only 18 of the 38 retailers were complying with the voluntary customer care guidelines. "Really, they should have been mandatory from the get-go. But now, we know they haven't worked as well as they should've and the Electricity Authority has to move quickly and make them mandatory." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, the EU has agreed on a “coordinated approach” to the changing Covid situation, adding that included implications for increased travel from China. There's also the strange case of dozens of kilos of cannabis washing ashore along Famagusta beaches, in both the government-controlled areas and the north. Elsewhere, the police announced that over 100 people have been arrested in Paphos in the past year for offences related to domestic violence while six more remain wanted. Finally, the labour minister said that a meeting between all sides has been set for next week in a bid to clinch some arrangement staving off strike action threatened by trade unions of the Electricity Authority. All these and more in your Daily News Briefing, brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In todays' episode, trade unions representing workers at the Electricity Authority of Cyprus have announced measures as of next week that could potentially lead to rolling power cuts, including over Christmas during periods of peak power usage. The government has in turn accused the unions of misleading the public while hinting at strong action of its own. In other news, the House on Thursday gave the nod to the state budget for fiscal year 2023, in what was parliament's final act of the year before going into mandatory recess ahead of the coming presidential elections. Elsewhere, President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar have agreed to meet again following their brief discussion during a reception at Ledra Palace, government announced on Thursday. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

The Electricity Authority is proposing ways to help investment in renewable generation. A new paper stresses the critical role new entrants play in the renewable electricity generation market by encouraging competition. Market Policy General Manager Andrew Doube says the entry or threat of entry by competitors is one of the most powerful forces to mitigate the exercise of market power. He says they're seeing a surge in investment interest from independent developers keen on pursuing new generation projects and that they're committed to getting the settings right to ensure as many projects see the light of day. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electricity Authority has come down hard on Tiwai point trying to cut cheap deals on their power. The EA will now require approval before any power company wants to make a 'big low price deal' Though, they have confirmed that the smelter's 2021 deal with Meridian and Contact, believed to be less than 4 cents a unit, won't be affected by the ban. Murray Ellis is an electricity consultant and joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority says it's made urgent changes today, to make sure consumers aren't disadvantaged by big deals. The amendment to the Electricity Industry Participation Code means that deals for more than 150 megawatts, can only go ahead if they meet specific criteria. It impacts powercos' ability to strike a deal with Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, as it works on plans to stay operating beyond 2024. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, Agriculture Minister Costas Kadis warned that Ineia landowners were entitled to stage protests but not to engage in extreme behaviour or cause damage after the mukhtar threatened to dig up nests at the protected Lara turtle beach next Sunday. In other news, six more companies have been fined between €6,000 and €10,000 for various workplace lapses that resulted in injury to employees, and the Electricity Authority has admitted that many consumers say they were overcharged on their bills. All these stories and more in your Daily News Briefing, brought to you by the Cyprus Mail. For more news direct from Cyprus, visit www.cyprus-mail.com

Electricity Authority has come down hard on Tiwai point trying to cut cheap deals on their power. The EA will now require approval before any power company wants to make a 'big low price deal' Though, they have confirmed that the smelter's 2021 deal with Meridian and Contact, believed to be less than 4 cents a unit, won't be affected by the ban. Murray Ellis is an electricity consultant and joined Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority has put a temporary block on bulk low-price power deals. It means power companies won't be to do cheap deals to supply more than 150 megawatts of power, without approval. The EA says it's a win for consumers. Consumer Advocacy Council chair Deborah Hart joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority has put a temporary block on bulk low-price power deals. It means power companies won't be to do cheap deals to supply more than 150 megawatts of power, without approval. The EA says it's a win for consumers. Consumer Advocacy Council chair Deborah Hart joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Electricity Authority says very large electricity contracts will only be allowed under certain conditions, under a new interim restriction just announced this morning. The move targets very large, discounted wholesale contracts such as that of the Tiwai Aluminium Smelter - which it says has the potential to make small consumers pay more. Last year the Authority estimated the impact of Tiwai's discounted power, could potentially lead to households paying up to $200 extra on their electricity bills each year. The new restriction will be for nine months, while a proposed permanent amendment is consulted on. Kathryn speaks with the Electricity Authority's Chief Executive James Stevenson-Wallace.

In today's episode, almost all the presidential candidates piled on Nikos Christodoulides on Thursday, slamming him for what they called his apparent attempt to dodge the televised debates scheduled for next month. In other news, amid heightened concern among the public over costly energy, the Electricity Authority of Cyprus has issued advice to consumers on what to do regarding possible discrepancies between their meter reading and their electricity bills, and the two rivals in Britain's leadership race to replace Boris Johnson, have both pledged support for Cyprus in separate letters to the UK-based Conservative Friends of Cyprus organisation. All these stories and more in your Daily News Briefing, brought to you by the Cyprus Mail. For more news, visit www.cyprus-mail.com

News from the business sector, including a market report. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6305232850001

In some late breaking news: Air NZ (AIR) is to hold a press conference at 6:20pm to offer details of its capital raise, the airline's shares are in a trading halt until 10am Thursday. The Electricity Authority says Genesis Energy didn't breach electricity market rules by not generating more power during the blackout of August 9, 2021. Lululemon posted better-than-expected fourth quarter earnings despite reduced store hours due to an increase in Omicron infections. Fortescue goes into an out-of-nowhere trading halt after announcing a green hydrogen deal in Germany. www.sharesies.com For more share market news, subscribe to Lunch Money, Sharesies' bite-sized email update: https://www.sharesies.nz/lunch-money If you'd like to get in touch, for any reason at all, email recap@sharesies.co.nz or record a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sharesies2/message. Investing involves risk. You aren't guaranteed to make money, and you might lose the money you start with. We don't provide personalised advice or recommendations. Any information we provide is general only and current at the time. For specific advice, speak to a licensed financial advice provider

A close observer of the electricity sector says the Government must intervene to force big firms to give up assets and make way for a state-owned generator. An Electricity Authority report out on Wednesday says Meridian and Contact Energy's cut-rate deal with Rio Tinto, owner of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, has led to higher wholesale prices. Independent electricity retailer Electric Kiwi chief executive Luke Blincoe says this would be the fastest way of putting money back into consumers' pockets. He spoke to Corin Dann.

A close observer of the electricity sector says the Government must intervene to force big firms to give up assets and make way for a state-owned generator. An Electricity Authority report out on Wednesday says Meridian and Contact Energy's cut-rate deal with Rio Tinto, owner of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, has led to higher wholesale prices. Independent electricity retailer Electric Kiwi chief executive Luke Blincoe says this would be the fastest way of putting money back into consumers' pockets. He spoke to Corin Dann.

About $200 a year - that's what it's costing NZ households in order for the Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter to stay open, the Electricity Authority says. It says New Zealanders are subsidising the multinational by about $500 million a year. Our reporter Ruth Hill hit the streets of Wellington to gauge reaction.

The Electricity Authority says households may be paying an extra $200 per year for power, as they subsidise the cheap energy the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter receives. The Authority has just released its review into the wholesale electricity market to see if it's competitive. RNZ Business Editor Gyles Beckford speaks with Kathryn.

The Electricity Authority says households may be paying an extra $200 per year for power, as they subsidise the cheap energy the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter receives. The Authority has just released its review into the wholesale electricity market to see if it's competitive. RNZ Business Editor Gyles Beckford speaks with Kathryn.

Shortcomings in Transpower's tools and processes were responsible for last month's power outages, according to the first phase of a review by the Electricity Authority. 34,000 households lost power on one of the coldest nights of the year on August 9th when demand hit a record high and supply could not match it. The Electricity Authority's initial review finds Transpower did not give enough information to power distributors in order for them to increase supply in time. Chief Executive of the Electricity Authority, James Stevenson-Wallace speaks with Lynn Freeman.

Carl Hansen, the former Chief Executive of the Electricity Authority between 2010 and 2018, joins Matt Burgess to discuss what happened on the evening of 9 August when 35,000 homes lost power on the coldest night of the year. Carl explains how the blackout happened and the response to the event by the government. He also talks about how the system drives investment in new capacity, recent announcements of new generation including major solar projects, and the outlook for the next few years. Carl also talks about the recent study which suggests generators may be earning excess profits.

Eric Crampton and Matt Burgess discuss the thousands of homes hit by blackouts on the coldest night of the year and government's response to it so far. Decisions should be made only after the facts are established. Questions include what led to the decision to cut power to homes, and whether all of the available generating capacity was used. The independent Electricity Authority has responsibility for investigating last night's outage but at the time of the recording (3:30pm on 10 August) had not made a statement on the issue.

Thousands of New Zealanders had their power cut off last night on one of the coldest nights of the year. It wasn't a power cut, but a deliberate rolling blackout to manage electricity demand which had reached an all-time high. Energy Minister Megan Woods will be meeting with Transpower and the Electricity Authority this morning for a please explain. Oil and Gas lobby group Energy Resources Aotearoa says outages shows the the supply gap between electricty producers and users has become a gulf. Chief executive John Carnegie spoke to Corin Dann.

Businesses are being hit by massive rises to their power bills as dry weather and a natural gas shortage wreak havoc in the electricity market.Hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra costs are hitting firms as they look to renew their fixed power contracts.Christchurch-based firm Enztec employs 70 people to design and manufacture high-end medical instruments for the global orthopaedic market.It usually operates on a fixed electricity contract with its suppliers, to avoid the volatility of spot prices.But its chief executive Iain McMillan said it had struggled to get a new deal since its previous contract ended in February."We have had one company being prepared to negotiate a contract with us and we're still actively working on that."But several of the large supply companies basically said they did not have capacity to supply and therefore wouldn't even put an offer to the table."Enztec is now stuck paying spot prices which are more than 50 percent higher than a year ago, according to the energy consultancy firm Energy Link.This is because the country had been suffering from outages at several gas fields since December, dry weather to start the year and low hydro lake levels.Enztec's monthly power bill had about doubled but it was unable to pass these costs onto its customers because the price of its products are fixed.As a consequence, McMillan said Enztec would have to reduce spending on research and development because it had no idea when the upward pressure on power prices may ease.Enztec's situation was not unique with more firms saying they were at the mercy of high wholesale electricity prices.RNZ understands the new power contract for supermarket operator Foodstuffs is 70 percent more expensive.The company would not comment on the specifics, but in a statement its North Island chief executive Chris Quin said it had seen significant increases in its power bill."The combination of price increases is affecting our stores across the board, large and small, and a lot of effort is going into trying to find efficiencies to manage prices to consumers."It is particularly hard for our smaller stores with a number of cost impacts from recent policy changes, compliance costs, talent shortages and supply chain costs," he said.RNZ also spoke to the chief executive of a large commodity business, who did not want to be named, who said he thought he got off lightly when its new contract only rose by 43 percent.Another company with offices nationwide, who would not comment on the record, said it was facing price hikes of several hundred thousand dollars per year.Employers and Manufacturers Association head of advocacy Alan McDonald said it is consumers who would ultimately pay."[The high power prices are] going to find its way through into prices of consumer goods and other goods, alongside things like supply chain pressures, wage pressures, the whole Covid background to everything,"RNZ approached some of the power companies for comment on this story and only Meridian responded.It said it acknowledged the effect high wholesale power prices were having on large customers who were coming off their contracts.Meridian said it continues to offer fixed price contracts and would work with its customers to provide solutions that, to the extent possible, insulated them from price increases.The Electricity Authority's general manager of market policy Andy Doube said it was investigating prices in the wholesale market to ensure they were competitive.However, he said spot prices were inherently volatile."When we do have dry years, such as the one we do, coupled with the gas issues that are being experienced out of Pohukura, we do expect the market will start pricing scarcely and I think that's some of the prices we're seeing at the moment."text by Nicholas Pointon, RNZ

Low hydro lake levels and soaring wholesale electricity prices are causing some businesses to temporarily shut down operations, and more will follow, according to the Major Electricity Users' Group. Data from energy consultancy firm Energy Link shows wholesale power prices are nearly seven times higher than they were a year ago, at $314.44 per megawatt hour (MWh) and have reached as high as $500 (MWh) in the past fortnight. The Norske Skog paper mill in Kawerau shut production for two weeks recently because of the high electricity cost and New Zealand Steel to scale down its operations at its site in Glenbrook for the same reason. The Minister for Energy and Resources Megan Woods has acknowledged higher prices are impacting businesses and the Electricity Authority is conducting a review of the review wholesale market. Kathryn speaks with chair of the Major Electricity Users' Group, John Harbord.