Meridian to lift power prices, ‘takes a hit’ from last winter with $121m loss, gas factor a big problem

Meridian Energy has reported its result for the first half – and says three issues made business especially difficult.

Meridian Energy will soon join other major electricity companies in raising its retail power prices.

Mercury NZ said on Tuesday that it expected power prices for its residential customers to rise on average by 9.7% from April.

Power companies are dealing with lines and transmission charges due to rising costs and the level of investment in infrastructure required, with the cost of wholesale electricity and other costs.

Today, Meridian chief executive Neal Barclay said it too would be raising its prices, although they would be “south” of the near 10% increase communicated by Mercury.

“I don’t have a firm number.

“We are still working that through.

“Letters will be going out over the next week or two, but it will be south of what Mercury has proposed.

“I mean, we’re passing through the transmission and cost and distribution cost increases,” he told the Herald.

“We’re, doing everything we can to mitigate or reduce and minimise the additional costs that impact our business and, to not flow that through to customers,” Barclay, who is stepping down in June, said.

The company – just over half-owned by the Government – reported a $121 million loss for the first half to December after “taking a hit for New Zealand” during last winter’s energy shortage.

The loss – driven by expensive hedge contracts taken out during last year’s price spike – compared with a $191m profit in the previous comparable period.

“We took a hit for New Zealand,” Barclay said.

“The combination of particularly low hydro inflows, low wind, and gas shortages made the operating environment for the first half of this financial year as tough as I can recall experiencing.

“Meridian put this country’s security of supply first and, as New Zealand’s largest renewable electricity generator, our balance sheet tends to underwrite the mitigation of extended droughts.”

He said 2024 showed how the country benefited from having large and financially strong generator-retailers.

“While the situation was particularly challenging, we know we rely on Mother Nature for our fuel and accept the financial impact droughts bring.

“We prepare the business to deal with these kinds of eventualities, including maintaining a strong and flexible balance sheet.”

Operating cash flows were $50m, down from $303m in the same period last year.

The results were heavily impacted by the cost of hedge contracts for winter 2024 in the face of 1 in 90-year record low inflows and an unexpected and unprecedented shortage of domestic gas.

The hedge contracts included calling the largest demand response option with New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS).

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and financial instruments (ebitdaf) fell to $257m from $443m.

Meridian’s underlying net profit fell from $175m to a $5m loss.

The company kept its interim dividend unchanged at 6.15 cents a share because of the challenging first half.

Barclay said the company - which this week invoked a demand response arrangement with the biggest power user, NZAS, was “highly focused” on the coming winter.

“The bigger issue, though, is the structural and significant shortage of domestic gas,” he said.

New Zealand needs to take urgent action to address this.

“Gas is the biggest factor in setting spot and future electricity prices,” Barclay said.

The business weathered an “extraordinarily difficult set of circumstances” over the half.

“At the same time, we’ve not backed away from our strategic goals one bit and our customer market share has continued to grow as has our renewable development pipeline.”

Last winter’s shortage cost the company around $200m.

Outgoing Meridian Energy chief executive Neal Barclay. Photo / NZME

Meridian has long made the case for “contingent storage” – more water to be made available in the hydro lakes – to ensure the country has as much energy available as it can.

“Access to contingent storage is likely impossible in many situations even if New Zealand’s actual risk of energy shortage is significant, as was the case last winter,” the company said.

“We believe that New Zealand’s security of supply regime is not fit for purpose, as it doesn’t give participants confidence that contingent storage will be available when it is needed,” it said.

“This ongoing uncertainty as to whether contingent storage will be granted will see a more cautious approach, requiring hydro generators to conserve water in case access to additional storage isn’t available.

“This leads to greater reliance on thermal generation, increased greenhouse gas emissions and potentially higher wholesale market prices both in the lead up to and during winter.”

Jamie Gray is an Auckland-based journalist covering the financial markets, the primary sector and energy. He joined the Herald in 2011.