Just as reports suggest power companies are planning new increases in energy charges, Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee says a Ministerial review of the electricity sector which will begin work immediately may throw up some short-term improvements and, if so, they will be acted on immediately. He says the Govt has concerns about security of supply, affordability of electricity, and duplication of electricity sector governance.

A technical advisory group will be chaired by Dr Brent Layton and include David Russell, Professor Lewis Evans, Stephen Franks, Toby Stevenson, and Miriam Dean. Brownlee says in the first phase the Ministerial review will look at regulatory and governance issues, while the second phase will concentrate on electricity market performance. The Wolak report for the Commerce Commission could supply ammunition for reforms to the competitive framework of the electricity market.

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