New Zealand generates over 90 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. This dashboard shows the country’s actual generation mix for the most recent complete day, the monthly renewable share over the last two years, and a 30-day wholesale price tracker comparing Auckland with the South Island. Data is sourced directly from the Electricity Authority and refreshed daily.
Generation Mix
Renewable Share of Generation
Share of grid generation from hydro, geothermal, wind, solar and biomass each month. The share dips in dry or still months when gas and coal fill the gap. The 12‑month average smooths the seasons and shows the underlying trajectory towards the 100 percent renewable target for 2030.
Wholesale Electricity Prices Over the Last 30 Days
Daily average wholesale spot prices in dollars per megawatt hour at Otahuhu (Auckland) and Benmore (South Island). The gap between the two shows how the Cook Strait HVDC constraint affects regional pricing.
How to Read This Dashboard
The numbers on this page tell the story of New Zealand’s electricity system on any given day. The headline percentage is the share of generation that came from renewable sources. A figure above 90 percent is typical for New Zealand, placing the country among the cleanest electricity grids in the world. The generation mix chart breaks that down by fuel type, showing the actual gigawatt hours produced by hydro, geothermal, wind, gas, and the other contributors.
The hydro lake storage gauge is the single most important number for understanding the rest of the page. When the main lakes hold more water than the historical average for the time of year, hydro can run hard, the renewable share climbs and wholesale prices tend to ease. When storage falls below average, and especially when it approaches the system operator’s watch curve, gas and coal are called on more often and prices firm. The watch, alert and emergency curves are the official thresholds the system operator uses to manage supply risk through a dry year.
The renewable share trend shows how the share of clean generation has moved over the past two years. It fluctuates month to month with weather conditions, particularly rainfall affecting hydro lakes and wind patterns affecting wind farms. During dry winters, the share typically dips as gas and coal generation are called upon to keep the grid stable.
The wholesale price tracker compares the daily average spot price at two reference nodes, Otahuhu near Auckland and Benmore in the South Island. The gap between these two prices reveals how effectively the Cook Strait HVDC link is transmitting South Island hydro power to North Island consumers.
Why These Numbers Matter
New Zealand’s electricity system is transitioning. The country has set a target of 100 percent renewable generation by 2030, up from around 85 percent in 2024. The share of renewable generation on any given day is a direct indicator of progress towards that target.
Wholesale electricity prices matter to every business and household in New Zealand, even though most consumers never see the spot price directly. Retail electricity tariffs are built on top of wholesale price expectations. When wholesale prices rise sustainably, retail prices eventually follow.
The Data Behind the Dashboard
All data on this page comes from the Electricity Authority, the government regulator of the New Zealand electricity market. The daily generation figures are calculated from the Authority’s Nodal Prices and Volumes dataset, which records the output of every grid-connected power station for every 30-minute trading period of every day. The monthly renewable share is calculated from the Authority’s metered generation dataset and is added once each month’s final data is published. Hydro storage figures come from the Authority’s electricity risk curve reporting, with the underlying lake measurements supplied by NZX Hydro and NIWA.
Data on this page is refreshed daily to show the latest complete day. The Electricity Authority typically publishes the final nodal dispatch data approximately 24 hours after the day concludes, so there is always a roughly one-day lag between real-time and the data shown here.
For a comprehensive overview of New Zealand’s electricity system, including historical context, major generators, grid infrastructure, and the transition to 100 percent renewable, see our New Zealand Electricity System Explained. You can also watch the grid operating in real time, with every power station on the map, on our NZ Grid Live tool.