Commerce Commission issues warning to lines company Aurora Energy

Photo / RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

By RNZ

The Commerce Commission has issued a warning to Otago lines company Aurora Energy over an excessive level of power outages in 2020.

The company was already ordered to pay a penalty of nearly $5 million by the High Court for excessive power cuts between 2016 and 2019, which stemmed from inadequate maintenance.

The commission noted the 2020 breach was linked to previous issues for which it had already been penalised, so imposed no fine.

Aurora had already made significant investment to remedy the situation and committed to continuing to invest in its network, the commission said.

Aurora chief executive Richard Fletcher said the latest warning marked the end of a transitionary period and the company was now meeting all its commitments.

Aurora owns and operates the poles, lines and other equipment that distributes electricity from Transpower’s national grid to more than 92,000 homes, farms and businesses in Dunedin, Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes.

It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dunedin City Holdings Limited, owned by Dunedin City Council.

- RNZ