Network Information

Our Network


Marlborough Lines delivers electricity from New Zealand’s national grid to the homes and businesses of our Marlborough consumers.

In a snapshot we:

  • Look after an area of 11,330km² - equivalent to approximately 1.1 million rugby fields.

  • Have 3,400km of lines and cables - enough to travel the length of NZ and back.

  • Deliver electricity to our 26,000+ consumers.

  • Maintain and upgrade the network to keep it as reliable and safe as possible from potential damage caused by natural events such as storms and flooding, fires, vehicles, machinery, trees and wildlife.

You name it our network area has it - plains, coast lines, rivers, rugged mountains, and the Marlborough Sounds. 

Keeping electricity supplied to such a large and diverse area is a challenge and we are continually exploring ways to improve the network and how we operate.

 
 

The Electricity System - Where We Fit


Electricity is generated from areas around New Zealand and transported to Marlborough by Transpower, the national grid operator.

MLL has a single grid exit point (GXP) where it takes supply from Transpower, near Springlands.

Although MLL only has a single GXP, it has a relatively large 33kV network, including 16 33kV/11kV zone substations across Marlborough. From these zone substations, electricity is distributed through the 11kV network, and then down to lower voltages where consumers connected to our network take supply.

The cost in keeping our diverse network reliable and safe is significant.  To help meet this cost our consumers pay a line charge, which is included in your electricity retailer’s monthly bill.  Electricity retailers are the companies that sell you your electricity.

For a list of electricity retailers currently operating on MLL’s network, please click here.

An explanation of New Zealand’s electricity system is provided adjacent, including where MLL and our consumers fit into the system.

Generation

Electricity is generated by wind and hydro-electric power stations in the South Island.  The North Island has thermal and geo-thermal plants and electricity is transferred between the Islands by a cable called the DC link.

Transmission

Transpower’s transmission network (national grid) covers most of New Zealand, and delivers electricity to all 29 Electricity Distribution Businesses (plus some direct connected customers). The national grid is owned and operated by Transpower. It includes the DC link which crosses the Cook Strait to connect the North and South Islands.

Distribution

From Transpower’s GXP at Springlands, MLL distributes electricity through substations to consumer’s property boundaries. MLL has over 3,400km of overhead lines and underground cables, including over 300km of 33kV sub-transmission network.

Electricity Retailers

Retailers buy and sell electricity to consumers. It is with electricity retailers that consumers are contracted to for their monthly electricity supply, not MLL. MLL passes on its charges to the electricity retailers that use MLL’s network for delivery of electricity to consumers.

Consumers

In Marlborough, MLL has 26,000+ electricity consumers from large industrial and commercial to residential consumers.

 
 
The Electricity System
 

Information Requests


We maintain records of our network which we can supply free of charge. To request information about our network please click on the button below.

 

Network & Outages


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