Long-awaited changes to outdated tree regulations will help keep the power on and reduce costs for consumers, says Electricity Networks Aotearoa (ENA), following today’s announcement by Minister Watts.

The new regulations, announced in response to years of industry advocacy, will give lines companies the authority to proactively manage hazardous trees near power lines — a move ENA describes as a "positive and overdue step forward."

Cyclone Tam, which struck northern New Zealand earlier this month, left more than 40,000 people without power. The widespread outages again highlighted the significant risks trees pose to the electricity network during storms.

“For well over a decade, ENA has been calling for changes to the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003,” said ENA Chief Executive, Tracey Kai. “These new rules will help prevent outages before they happen and support more reliable electricity supply for all New Zealanders.”

Key changes include:

• enabling lines companies to assess hazardous trees near lines and issue notices requiring that they are removed
• reducing future risks by restricting new planting of trees within 24 metres of power lines so when these trees mature they won’t contact the lines if they fall.

“These changes are great news for consumers,” Kai said. “They mean fewer outages during storms and better control of network maintenance costs — which helps keep power bills down.”

Tree-related outages not only disrupt daily life, Kai noted, but also come at a high cost to businesses. “When power goes out, shops can’t open, EFTPOS systems fail, refrigeration stops, and businesses can lose thousands in spoiled stock.”

In 2024 alone, lines companies spent over $67 million on tree management. However, current regulations limited their ability to focus on the highest-risk trees. The updated rules will now allow more strategic, risk-based action.

“It’s been obvious to the sector for a long time that trees are a leading cause of storm-related outages. With these changes, we can finally take meaningful action,” Kai said.

Note:

The Minister’s announcement can be found here: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/protecting-new-zealands-energy-infrastructure

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