ENA submission to the amendments to the national environmental standards for electricity transmission activities about improving the planning framework for New Zealand’s electricity distribution infrastructure. The submission highlights the importance of implementing a consistent and enabling regulatory framework to facilitate essential infrastructure development, supporting network resilience, and achieving decarbonisation goals.

ENA submission to the Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga about the development of a long-term National Infrastructure Plan that addresses New Zealand's infrastructure challenges over the next 30 years. The submission emphasises the need for collaboration among infrastructure providers to electrify the economy, tackle climate goals, improve infrastructure resilience, and manage risks associated with extreme weather events and other future uncertainties.

ENA submission to amendments to the national policy statement on electricity transmission focuses on expanding the policy scope to include electricity distribution networks, emphasising the critical role in achieving New Zealand’s climate targets and infrastructure resilience. ENA supports creating a unified framework to improve the efficiency of electricity infrastructure and suggests refinements to better align with operational realities and government policy objectives.

ENA submission to the Ministry for the Environment about the proposed National Policy Statement for Natural Hazard Decision-making (NPS-NHD). ENA advocates that electricity distribution assets should not be included in the scope of the NPS-NHD because electricity distribution businesses (EDBs) are already well-equipped to evaluate and mitigate risks posed by natural hazards and have adequate incentives to manage these risks effectively.

ENA submission to the Ministry for the Environment about the Proposed National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity. The submission emphasises the necessity for including electricity infrastructure within urban planning frameworks as it is crucial for the development of new urban areas.

ENA submission to the Environment Committee about recommendations for the Natural and Built Environments Bill (NBEB). The submission emphasises the importance of including electricity distribution infrastructure in the legislation to support New Zealand’s transition to a low-carbon economy and calls for adjustments to definitions and planning processes to better accommodate the needs of electricity distribution businesses.

ENA submission to the Commerce Commission about the consultation on the Nelson Electricity and Network Tasman merger and its impact on the default price-quality path draft decision. ENA supports the draft decision for its pragmatic approach to assessing the merger effects, combining operational and capital expenditures, and the potential efficiency gains sharing between electricity distribution businesses and customers.

ENA submission to the Electricity Authority about the network connections project (stage one) code drafting, focusing on proposed amendments to the Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010. The submission discusses specific concerns with the treatment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) within the code, recommending that BESS should be treated as load first to avoid unintended pricing issues, and suggests changes to improve confidentiality protocols and the practicality of EDBs in applying these obligations.

ENA submission to the Electricity Authority about proposed regulatory changes in the distribution sector, focusing on load connection obligations and standardsation of connection processes. The submission expresses concerns about reintroducing obligations that were previously removed by legislation and highlights potential issues with the practicality of proposed timelines and regulatory requirements.