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About us

MainPower is the electricity distribution network for North Canterbury. Based in Rangiora, we are responsible for delivering electricity to over 44,000 homes and businesses in the Waimakariri, Hurunui, and Kaikōura districts.

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Network Connections Charges Changes

The Electricity Authority has introduced new rules to improve transparency, fairness and consistency in connection pricing across New Zealand.

Why changes are happening

The Electricity Authority has introduced new rules to improve transparency, fairness and consistency in connection pricing across New Zealand.

These changes support efficient electrification and long-term fairness between new and existing customers.

What the changes do

The new rules standardise how connection charges are structured and explained, while still allowing prices to reflect local network conditions. 

What they don’t do

The rules do not require all lines companies to charge the same prices, and they do not automatically increase or decrease connection charges. 

MainPower’s pricing approach was already broadly aligned with the new regulatory requirements. As a result, most customers will see minimal change to connection charges. The main change is improved transparency and standardised documentation. 

For more information refer to the Get Connected page and our Capital Contributions Methodology is on the Disclosures page.

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Important notifications

Hot water load testing under way ahead of winter

Until mid‑April, we’re working closely with retailers to carry out hot water load testing as we prepare our network for the coming winter season.

These tests run for a couple of hours each day, Monday to Friday, with no testing taking place over weekends. Because each test window is relatively short, customers are unlikely to notice any changes to their hot water supply.

The purpose of this work is to help us better understand how much controllable load is available during the summer months. Gaining accurate insights now means we can model customer savings more effectively by reducing system load at peak times. It also helps us assess whether this load flexibility could assist Transpower in deferring an upcoming local transmission upgrade.

This testing is an important part of ensuring a resilient, efficient network that supports our community.

Is your outage not listed?

Troubleshoot your outage
Treat all lines as live during the outage period; power may be restored at any time. If you require further information, please call MainPower’s 24-hour faults line. To report an emergency, call 111.

Outage notifications

Hot water load testing under way ahead of winter

Until mid‑April, we’re working closely with retailers to carry out hot water load testing as we prepare our network for the coming winter season.

These tests run for a couple of hours each day, Monday to Friday, with no testing taking place over weekends. Because each test window is relatively short, customers are unlikely to notice any changes to their hot water supply.

The purpose of this work is to help us better understand how much controllable load is available during the summer months. Gaining accurate insights now means we can model customer savings more effectively by reducing system load at peak times. It also helps us assess whether this load flexibility could assist Transpower in deferring an upcoming local transmission upgrade.

This testing is an important part of ensuring a resilient, efficient network that supports our community.

Is your outage not listed?

Troubleshoot your outage
Treat all lines as live during the outage period; power may be restored at any time. If you require further information, please call MainPower’s 24-hour faults line. To report an emergency, call 111.

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