The gas market is opaque relative to the electricity market, but recent major gas field outages have prompted moves to improve transparency. One of the first improvements is an initiative by the gas industry regulator, the Gas Industry Company, which
Hydro Watch - 17 October 2019, Issue 1,174
By Michael Cawte, October 17, 2019
Total storage increased 174.5 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage increased 8 % to 1125 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 11.6 % to 481 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 9.7 % to 459 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 10 October 2019, Issue 1,173
By Ruth Heron, October 10, 2019
Total storage increased 73.9 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 2.1 % to 1042 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 19.3 % to 431 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 6.7 % to 418 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 3 October 2019, Issue 1,172
By Michael Cawte, October 3, 2019
Total storage decreased 34.8 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 10 % to 1064 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 23.1 % to 361 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 4.1 % to 392 GWh.
Are Higher Electricity Prices Here to Stay?
By Greg Sise, September 27, 2019
Spot prices surged late last year when there was a prolonged, unplanned outage at the Pohokura gas field offshore Taranaki. But they haven’t come back down to where they were prior to the gas outages. In this post we look at the reasons why and ask the question on everyone’s mind – will they remain high?
Hydro Watch - 26 September 2019, Issue 1,171
By Michael Cawte, September 26, 2019
Total storage decreased 84.8 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 6.2 % to 1182 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 2.6 % to 293 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 0.3 % to 377 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 19 September 2019, Issue 1,170
By Michael Cawte, September 19, 2019
Total storage decreased 48.8 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 7.7 % to 1260 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 27.8 % to 301 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 2.3 % to 376 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 12 September 2019, Issue 1,169
By Michael Cawte, September 12, 2019
Total storage decreased 181.9 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 8.1 % to 1365 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 21.8 % to 236 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 1.2 % to 385 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 5 September 2019, Issue 1,168
By Michael Cawte, September 5, 2019
Total storage decreased 135.7 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 7.1 % to 1486 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 8.1 % to 302 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 1 % to 380 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 29 August 2019, Issue 1,167
By Michael Cawte, August 30, 2019
Total storage decreased 80.1 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 5.6 % to 1599 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 5.4 % to 328 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 9.6 % to 376 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 22 August 2019, Issue 1,166
By Michael Cawte, August 22, 2019
Total storage decreased 115.8 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 6.8 % to 1693 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 0.4 % to 347 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 1.9 % to 343 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 15 August 2019, Issue 1,165
By Michael Cawte, August 15, 2019
Total storage decreased 39.9 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 6.1 % to 1817 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 4.6 % to 346 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 23.1 % to 337 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 8 August 2019, Issue 1,164
By Michael Cawte, August 8, 2019
Total storage decreased 180 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 6.2 % to 1935 GWh;South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 7.3 % to 330 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 8.7 % to 274 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 1 August 2019, Issue 1,163
By Michael Cawte, August 1, 2019
Total storage decreased 168.5 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 5.2 % to 2063 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 10.5 % to 357 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 4 % to 300 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 25 July 2019, Issue 1,162
By Michael Cawte, July 26, 2019
Total storage decreased 66.6 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 1.8 % to 2177 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 13 % to 398 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 11.3 % to 312 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 18 July 2019, Issue 1,161
By Michael Cawte, July 18, 2019
Total storage increased 188.8 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage increased 1.1 % to 2216 GWh.South Island uncontrolled storage increased 29.5 % to 458 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 26.9 % to 281 GWh.
The three most important issues for the 2020s - #3, Extreme Renewables
By Greg Sise, July 16, 2019
This is the third in a series of three posts on what I see as the most important issues for the electricity market for the 2020s and beyond. The first issue was woeful lack of disclosure in the gas market, and the second issue was the ineffectiveness of the electricity hedge market. This third and final issue is on the challenge of moving toward extremely high level
Hydro Watch - 11 July 2019, Issue 1,160
By Ruth Heron, July 12, 2019
Total storage decreased 96.1 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 4.3% to 2,191 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 12.2% to 354 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 30.9% to 221 GWh.
The Clean Car Discount
By Greg Sise, July 10, 2019
The government released a consultation paper yesterday on the Clean Car Standard and Clean Car Discount. The Clean Car Standard would require importers of new and used vehicles to lower the average emissions of the vehicles they bring into the country. The Clean Car Discount increases the cost of vehicles t
Hydro Watch - 27 June 2019, Issue 1,158
By Ruth Heron, June 28, 2019
Total storage decreased 216.7 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 4.6% to 2,406 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 16.9% to 435 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 5.7% to 203 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 20 June 2019, Issue 1,157
By Ruth Heron, June 21, 2019
Total storage decreased 206 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 3% to 2523 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 19.6% to 523 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 0.6% to 215 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 13 June 2019, Issue 1,156
By Ruth Heron, June 13, 2019
Total storage decreased 215.8 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 2.8% to 2,600 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 19.6% to 650 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 8.2% to 216 GWh
The three most important issues for the 2020s - #2, The Hedge Market
By Greg Sise, June 10, 2019
This is the second in a series of three posts on what I see as the most important issues for the electricity market for the 2020s. The first issue was disclosure in the gas market, which has as much impact on electricity as it has on gas, and is woefully inadequate. The second issue, and the topic of this post, is the electricity hedge market: how it is not working for new retail
Hydro Watch - 6 June 2019, Issue 1,155
By Ruth Heron, June 7, 2019
Total storage increased 168.1 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage increased 4.8% to 2,674 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 2.9% to 809 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 52.2% to 200 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 30 May 2019, Issue 1,154
By Ruth Heron, May 31, 2019
Total storage increased 283.1 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 0.2% to 2,550 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 52.2% to 833 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 3.2% to 131 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 23 May 2019, Issue 1,153
By Ruth Heron, May 23, 2019
Total storage decreased 93 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 1.9% to 2,557 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 6.2% to 547 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 5.5% to 127 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 16 May 2019, Issue 1,152
By Ruth Heron, May 17, 2019
Total storage increased 130 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage increased 3% to 2,606 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 9.3% to 583 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 3.8% to 135 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 9 May 2019, Issue 1,151
By Ruth Heron, May 9, 2019
Total storage decreased 117.3 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 1.9% to 2531 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 8.4% to 534 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 12.4% to 130 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 2 May 2019, Issue 1,150
By Ruth Heron, May 6, 2019
Total storage increased 184.7 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage increased 2.6% to 2,581 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 26% to 582 GWh; with Taupo storage remaining steady at 148 GWh.
The three most important issues for the 2020s - #1, Gas Disclosure
By Greg Sise, May 2, 2019
This is the first in a series of three posts on what I see as the most important issues for the electricity market, and by association the gas market, for the 2020s. This first post is actually a submission to the Gas Indsutry Company's recent consultation on information disclosure in the wholesale gas market. The GIC documents and all subsmissions can be found at
Hydro Watch - 25 April 2019, Issue 1,149
By Ruth Heron, April 29, 2019
Total storage decreased 65.6 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 1.2% to 2,517 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 8.4% to 462 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 5.8% to 148 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 18 April 2019, Issue 1,148
By Ruth Heron, April 18, 2019
Total storage decreased 42.5 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage increased 0.9% to 2,548 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 9% to 504 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 9.5% to 140 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 11 April 2019, Issue 1,147
By Ruth Heron, April 11, 2019
Total storage decreased 40.8 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 0.1% to 2,526 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 4.4% to 554 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 7.1% to 155 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 4 April 2019, Issue 1,146
By Ruth Heron, April 4, 2019
Total storage increased 194.3 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage increased 8.9% to 2,529 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 2.8% to 580 GWh; with Taupo storage increasing 2.8% to 166 GWh
Hydro Watch - 28 March 2019, Issue 1,145
By Ruth Heron, March 28, 2019
Total storage increased 601.7 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage increased 16.8% to 2322 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 94.5% to 597 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 11.8% to 162 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 21 March 2019, Issue 1,144
By Ruth Heron, March 22, 2019
Total storage decreased 63.5 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage increased 1.2% to 1,989 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 17.2% to 307 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 11.4% to 184 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 14 March 2019, Issue 1,143
By Ruth Heron, March 15, 2019
Total storage decreased 39.3 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 1.4% to 1,965 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 2.6% to 371 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 1.2% to 207 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 7 March 2019, Issue 1,142
By Ruth Heron, March 8, 2019
Total storage decreased 219.1 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage decreased 5.8% to 1,992 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage decreased 15.7% to 380 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 10.6% to 210 GWh.
Hydro Watch - 28 February 2019, Issue 1,141
By Ruth Heron, March 1, 2019
Total storage increased 1.9 GWh over the last week. South Island controlled storage remained the same on 2,116 GWh; South Island uncontrolled storage increased 2.7% to 451 GWh; with Taupo storage decreasing 4.3% to 235 GWh.