New Zealand shares rose to a new record close yesterday as holidays in Auckland and Australia kept trading volumes light.

Mighty River Power and Meridian Energy will keep the price they charge for electricity on hold this year for the third year in a row.

Hydro lake levels are falling and wholesale power prices rising as drought threatens in parts of the country.

Geothermal has pipped gas generation for the first time as more plants come on stream.

Power companies' margins on retail electricity tariffs are unsustainably high, says a new report on listed NZ electricity stocks.

Call me a Luddite, but I don't want a "smart" electricity meter installed at home, and certainly not without my knowledge or consent.

Meridian Energy will watch first for closure of fossil fuel-fired power station.

Check out a snapshot of some of the stellar performers on the New Zealand sharemarket this year, as it surged ahead breaking new records.

Investors in Genesis Energy, Mighty River Power and Meridian Energy were more than $600 million richer on paper at one point yesterday after their shares were boosted by National's decisive victory.

Investors in listed power companies appear to be betting the National Party will retain the government benches at Saturday's general election.

Meridian Energy has fattened its dividend and is hinting of a possible return of capital next year after beating prospectus forecasts in its first annual result.

Analysts have mixed views on the outlook for the upcoming earnings season as some of NZ's biggest and most widely held firms prepare to report their annual results.

The National Government's asset sale programme is complete but the debate about the process just won't go away.

The Treasury would have liked more "Mum and Dad" small investors to have bought shares in electricity generators Mighty River Power and Meridian Energy.

Households will be socked with power bill increases of as much as 24% next month and power firms and network operators are blaming each other over who is responsible.

The NZX will run out of steam unless companies, particularly the larger ones, can take advantage of the stronger economy, writes Brian Gaynor.

Indigestion triggered by the size of the Govt's power company floats and investors wanting to take profits are being blamed for a fall in NZ's benchmark index.

Meridian Energy's instalment receipts traded at another post-float low today after a number of factors - including regulatory risk - combined to work against the stock.

The decade-long surge in big wind farm building in New Zealand is nearing an end with no new projects in the pipeline as the sector booms around the world.

Voting begins today in a citizens-initiated referendum on whether the Government should sell part of its stake in power companies and Air New Zealand.

Meridian Energy's instalment receipts fell below their issue price - in early afternoon trading today.