Meridian Energy could be listed on the sharemarket before the end of October after clearing a big hurdle by finalising contract talks over the Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter.

Meridian Energy's renegotiated contract with the owners of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter includes lower electricity prices and a potentially more abrupt closure.

Meridian's deal with New Zealand Aluminium Smelters is a good short term solution to create certainty around its share market listing, says one analyst.

A $30m subsidy from the government has helped Meridian resolve its negotiations with Rio Tinto to keep the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter running until 2017.

Lines company Chorus would benefit and consumers would lose out from Government proposals made at the start of a review of telecommunications law.

There has been a bit of head-scratching in the Taranaki settlement of Oakura after an electricity company mailed a bill to a street lamp.

People are suffering from "energy poverty" and switching off their electricity to save money as new figures reveal power bills have risen an average of $65 in the past year.

Electricity consumers may soon be able to use online tools to work out the most cost-effective time to use appliances.

People should not buy low-wattage heaters expecting to save money on heating, experts say.

About a quarter of NZ homes are using heat pumps to provide warmth this winter, but experts warn that if buildings have inadequate insulation the power bills may be unnecessarily high.

The Southland District Council is preparing to soften the impact of electricity price hikes on Stewart Island after outrage from residents, businesspeople and holiday home owners.

Christchurch City Council has been given a fortnight to speed up its consenting process, or power to grant consents will be taken away from it by the Government.

Brian Fallow looks at the issues involved in a wholesale electricity market, and whether it is competitive or not.

New technology allows households to track almost every detail of their electricity use.

The 113,000 so called "mum and dad" investors who bought Mighty River shares included companies, trusts and investment institutions, Treasury has confirmed.

The Green Party says that shares sold in the recent float of Mighty River Power went to only a small group of investors - and claims of widespread 'mum and dad' ownership are false.

Public perceptions of how competitive the retail electricity sector is have improved, though to less-than-emphatic levels.