The Labour-Greens' proposal has created a major dilemma for potential Mighty River Power investors - should they invest in a company that could be subject to major regulatory change, including a dramatic adjustment to its business model?
Countries with an electricity buyer of the type proposed by Labour and the Greens have some of the lowest power prices - and some of the highest.
It didn't take David Shearer long to zero in on the million dollar-plus pay packets of chief executives running the country's power cos as the next stage of his campaign for govt control of the market.
If Meridian Energy had already floated, it's a fair bet that its share price would have dropped after the Opposition unveiled its electricity policy a week ago.
The onus is on those calling for radical, disruptive change to something as important as the electricity sector to demonstrate that it is broken and needs fixing.
The Labour-Green proposal aims to stop electricity generators 'gaming' the market in search of higher prices. Adam Bennett investigates.
"What just happened?" asks Brian Rudman. "Bland, colourless Labour leader David Shearer has suddenly been transmogrified into a working-class hero."
Investors who applied for Mighty River Power shares have been given a deadline to withdraw their applications if concerned about the Labour-Greens' power policy plans.
The Government said it would file a supplementary disclosure to the Mighty River Power share offer to take into account possible additional risks to investors that electricity reform under a Labour/Greens government could pose.
As Mighty River Power's boss prepares the State-owned company for sale, he has slated the new Labour-Green electricity policy as "socialist".
Bernard Hickey asks: Did the electricity industry think it could get away with generating super profits from a network monopoly forever without a political reaction?
Labour says its plan to bring down power prices is affordable despite losing out on state-owned power company dividends.
Uncertainty created by the Labour Party and Greens' plans for the electricity market helped drive the share prices of the main NZX-listed power generators sharply down yesterday.
Millions of dollars of NZers' savings have been wiped after Labour and the Greens announced plans to reform the wholesale electricity market, the Government says.
Humankind can be divided into two categories: those who understand the complexities of the wholesale electricity market and those who do not, writes John Armstrong.
The Labour-Green proposal to cut Kiwi householders' power prices through radical market reform has been given the thumbs-up by consumer groups, but energy sector commentators are divided on the plan.
Editorial: Labour proposes to set up a single buyer, NZ Power, to purchase all electricity generation at what it deems a fair price, based on the actual cost of production.
Labour and Greens want Crown-owned single buyer to set electricity prices for generators.
Electricity prices were a conspicuous exception to the subdued inflation numbers reported yesterday.
New Zealand could face power shortages this winter unless the hydro lakes get a significant boost soon.
Mighty River Power has warned would-be investors of a long-term drop in electricity prices which would hit the value of its shares should the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter close.
The Government has set a price range of $2.35 to $2.80 per share for the partial privatisation of Mighty River Power.
Almost 180 Christchurch landowners have chosen not to accept the Crown offers on their red-zoned properties.
When people like the PM talk of an orderly transition to a post-smelter environment, they are talking about the scrapping of generating capacity, writes Brian Fallow.
New Zealand's largest solar installation has been put on top of the refurbished Shed 10 on Auckland's waterfront.
Angry Christchurch red zone property owners are launching a legal battle to force Gerry Brownlee to change his mind over compensation, but he says it is "wishful thinking".
Prime Minister John Key says it will be "bleak" for Canterbury residents who chose not to take up the Government's buy-out offer for land in the red zone.
Contact's share price dropped this morning, partly in response to uncertainty over the future of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter.
Auckland Museum is being touted as a green example for other city organisations after it succeeded in slashing its carbon footprint by 30 per cent in just two years.