1. Pursuant to section 38(3)(b) of the Electricity Industry Act 2010, and having complied with section 39 of that Act, the Electricity Authority gives notice of the making of the Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment Removal of COVID-19 Deferred Payment of Distribution Charges (“amendment”).

2. The amendment comes into force into force 18 November 2020.

3. The amendment removes the COVID-19 Deferred Payment of Distribution Charges provisions which came into force by way of urgent Code amendment on 20 May 2020. The scheme was introduced to mitigate the potential for multiple retailer defaults in the context of the then rapidly emerging implications of COVID-19 in New Zealand. The risk of multiple retailer defaults has not been realised and no retailer has successfully applied to be covered under the scheme. As an urgent Code amendment, the provisions would otherwise have expired on 20 February 2021, being the date 9 months after coming into force.

4. A copy of the amendment and the Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010 (“Code”) is available on the Electricity Authority’s website http://www.ea.govt.nz/code-and-compliance/the-code/.

5. A copy of the amendment and the Code may also be inspected free of charge or purchased from the Electricity Authority, Level 7, Harbour Tower, 2 Hunter Street, Wellington.

Dated at Wellington this 12th day of October 2020.

Dr THOMAS BRENT LAYTON, Chair, Electricity Authority.