Help with Power

Can I get Power with 2degrees?

If you’re new to 2degrees broadband, head over to our broadband page, enter your address, choose a plan, and then add power. It’s super simple – we like making things easy.

You can also add power to your 2degrees broadband account. Simply log into your online account, click ‘Get Power’ and confirm your details.

How much does 2degrees Power cost?

The easiest way to see our electricity rates is to head over to our broadband page, enter your address, choose a plan, and then add Power.

Electricity charges consist of two components – a Fixed Daily charge, usually quoted in cents per day, and a Variable Usage charge, usually quoted in cents per kWh (kilowatt hours). Each bill has cost that’s made up of the fixed charge multiplied by the number of days within the billing period, and the variable charge multiplied by the power used over the period (or an estimate of this number). In some cases, you may have more than one variable charge related to different types of supply.

Electricity retailers are charged a levy by the Electricity Authority. Your old bill may show an “EA Levy”. The EA levy is small, and we have chosen to include it within our variable charges rather than splitting it out separately.

How long does it take to switch my power to 2degrees?

Switching from your current provider to 2degrees is usually a straightforward process, taking a few days.

It’s possible that you may have a contract with your existing provider that means they can charge you to break the contract. Please check this and be aware of any fees – you don’t want a nasty shock.

Your existing provider may attempt to contact you and entice you back, with discounted rates or a credit. But, we reckon, if they haven’t offered you that until you have said you are leaving, then you should question whether you want to ever give them a cent again.

Am I a Low User or Standard User?

There are two types of plans available to Kiwi households: Standard User Plan and Low User Plan.

Standard User

The Standard User plan has a higher daily charge, but a lower charge per kWh used, so is ideal if your electricity usage is relatively high. In general, Standard User plans will suit larger households with higher consumption patterns.

Low User

The Low User plan is generally suited to people using less electricity (hence the name). In general, Low User Plans will suit smaller households with lower consumption patterns.

We’ve got a page to help you get a more in-depth understanding of the difference between Standard and Low User Plans.

Will my billing be affected by upcoming government regulations?

As per the latest information from the NZ government, The Low Fixed Charge Tariff regulations are currently being phased-out over a 5-year period that started on 1 April 2022. You can find the details of the regulatory change here.

In line with these regulations, 2degrees is committed to changing its Low User Plan fixed daily rates over the stipulated period.

What if I am medically dependent on power?

Please let us know if you or a family member are medically dependent on power, and whether loss of electricity may result in loss of life or serious harm. Medical dependence on electricity could be for use of medical or other electrical equipment needed to support a treatment regime.

We will request evidence of medical dependency.  You, along with your doctor or health provider need to complete our Power Medical Dependency form and email it back to us at support@2degreesbroadband.co.nz.

You will receive a confirmation email to confirm that you are on our medical register, and we will contact you as soon as we become aware of any planner power outages that may affect the property listed.

During a power outage, we recommend you refer to your emergency backup plan or contact your local health provider to find out what your options are during the outage.

If you have any questions regarding Medical Dependency and your electricity, call us on 0800 022 022 and we’ll be happy to help you out. Make sure you have your account number handy. The Electricity Authority also have information available on their website: ea.govt.nz.

Help with your Power usage

You can get a breakdown of your power usage in My 2degrees.

If you have a smart meter, you’ll see daily readings on a 48-hour delay that shows how much you’ve been using.

If you have a legacy meter, these require a monthly visit from a meter reader to manually give us your usage. Your power bill is estimated based on your previous usage; this is to make sure the bills you receive are consistent as we charge in advance. When the actual reading comes through, your next bill is credited or debited depending on whether we over or undercharged you.

You can provide us with readings of your legacy meter yourself, just select Update Meter Reading in My 2degrees.

If you would like to get a smart meter installed, give us a call on 0800 022 022 and listen out for the power option and we can discuss the details with you. Make sure you have your account number handy.

Help with saving power

Reducing the amount of energy you use can have a positive impact on your life and Aotearoa. By doing a few simple things and making small changes to your home and your household appliances, you can save power and reduce your power bills.

The Electricity Authority have some great tips to help you set up your home to save power, money and the environment. You can read more about them here or give them a call on 64 4 460 8860.

Paying for the essentials shouldn’t be putting you in a financial burden. If you find yourself unable to pay your bill please call our Customer Care teams and we will work with you to find a solution. Or, alternatively there are free services such as MoneyTalks that provide assistance to New Zealanders looking for financial mentorship and services to help you out of financial hardship. You can contact them by calling 0800 345 123 or visiting moneytalks.co.nz

What do I do if my power is out?

The contact information for faults and outages in your area can be found on the top of your 2degrees bill in My 2degrees.

We’ve also created a handy page to help you find the relevant power provider in your area.

Can I move my power meter?

You can, here’s what’s involved:

First, get an electrician around to get all the wiring sorted in the location you would like to have the meter moved to. Make sure you get a Certificate of Compliance from the electrician for all the work they have done, this will be needed for the metering company to complete the move. This work is at your own cost.

Then, contact us to arrange a technician from the metering company to come to your address and move the meter to the new location and connect it up. Once a technician has been requested, the metering company will get it done in the next 10-15 working days. This part costs $195.00 including GST, which will be charged on the invoice after the move is completed.

Our Residential Power Consumer Care policy

Our Residential Power Consumer Care policy complies with the Electricity Authority retailer obligations. It is a guide to how we can work together to help you as a 2degrees power customer and outlines our commitments to you as your electricity retailer, how to help you manage your electricity costs, and more. You can read our full policy here.

If you have questions about our Consumer Care policy, or our compliance with the consumer care obligations you can get in our with our Customer Care team on 0800 022 022

About the Electricity Authority

The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko is an independent Crown entity that was established on 1 November 2010 under the Electricity Industry Act 2010. The purpose of the Authority is to enhance New Zealanders’ lives, prosperity and environment through electricity.

The Authority have a set of Consumer Care Obligations that we as an electricity provider must abide by to ensure you, as a household in New Zealand, receive a consistent and supportive level of service. You can learn more about the Electricity Authority, and the Consumer Care Obligations here.

Help with your energy use

Reducing the amount of energy you use can have a positive impact on your life and Aotearoa. By doing a few simple things and making small changes to your home and your household appliances, you can save power and reduce your power bills.

The Electricity Authority have some great tips to help you set up your home to save power, money and the environment. You can read more about them here or give them a call on 04 4 460 8860.

Paying for the essentials shouldn't be putting you in a financial burden. If you find yourself unable to pay your bill please call our Customer Care teams and we will work with you to find a solution. Or, alternatively there are free services such as MoneyTalks that provide assistance to New Zealanders looking for financial mentorship and services to help you out of financial hardship. You can contact them by calling 0800 345 123 or visiting moneytalks.co.nz

Can’t find us on Powerswitch?

Powerswitch is a free and independent energy price comparison tool offered by Consumer NZ. The reason you won’t find 2degrees on this tool is because the tool can’t handle displaying bundle discounts. We urge you to factor in any discounts we offer if you use Powerswitch to compare energy providers.

Need to escalate a complaint?

2degrees is a participant in the Utilities Disputes complaint resolution service. If for some reason we cannot resolve your complaint or problem within 20 working days you can take your complaint to Utilities Disputes, which is a free and independent complaints resolution scheme. You can contact them on 0800 22 33 40 or go to www.utilitiesdisputes.co.nz.

You can also reach out to the Electricity Authority if you think we could do better in meeting our obligations under the Consumer Care Obligations. We should always be your first port of call if you have an issue or complaint, but if you feel as though the resolution supplied by us or the Utilities Dispute complaint resolution service isn’t satisfactory, the Electricity Authority is available to provide assistance by visiting ea.govt.nz or giving them a call on 0800 62 62 44