PCE address to the Waikato Regional Energy Strategy launch

The Commissioner has welcomed the launch of the Waikato Regional Energy Strategy, describing it as an important contribution to the national conversation about how New Zealand navigates the transition to a low-emissions energy system.

Speaking at the strategy launch in Hamilton, the Commissioner said New Zealand faces a series of complex energy challenges that require long-term thinking and greater coordination across government, industry and communities. A comprehensive national energy strategy would help guide investment decisions and manage trade-offs between affordability, security of supply and environmental sustainability.

"The value of a strategy is not that it predicts the future; its value is that it helps us prepare for a range of plausible futures and make better decisions regardless of what eventuates."

The Commissioner noted that New Zealand's energy system is undergoing significant change. While the country continues to benefit from a highly renewable electricity system, declining domestic gas reserves, growing electricity demand and increasing geopolitical uncertainty are creating new challenges for policymakers and investors.