Flow Assurance Engineer

New Zealand power companies are drawing criticism as household electricity bills surge while firms post record profits. Contact Energy reported NZ$423 million in net profit and NZ$1.011 billion in operating earnings, while Mercury booked NZ$321 million profit. Average power prices rose 12% over one year, then increased another 8% in April. The timing has intensified calls for structural separation of "gentailers" — companies that combine generation and retail operations. Polling by Electric Kiwi and 2Degrees found roughly one in five respondents strongly favour splitting these businesses, with about a third somewhat supporting the move. Critics argue gentailers maintain unfair advantages over competitors whilst households face mounting costs. The Electricity Authority has introduced rules requiring generators to offer hedge contracts to all buyers equally, preventing preferential treatment for their retail divisions.

Genesis gives green light to $125 million Leeston solar farm. Genesis has approved a $125 million investment in its Leeston solar farm in Canterbury, reaching Final Investment Decision (FID) and giving the green light for construction to begin. Construction is due to start by the end of 2026, with generation expected to begin in 2028. Once operational, the 70 MWp solar farm will generate up to 110 GWh of renewable electricity each year, enough to power approximately 13,750 households. The project will be built on a 111-hectare site leased from a farmer, who may continue grazing sheep under the solar panels. Leeston now joins a growing number of Genesis renewable projects moving beyond development and into delivery. It's the latest step in Genesis' strategy to invest $2.2 billion in new renewable generation and battery storage by 2032 to support growing demand from its nearly 500,000 customers and strengthen security of electricity supply as New Zealand transitions to a lower-emissions energy future. Genesis Chief Operating Officer Tracey Hickman said reaching FID for Leeston demonstrates Genesis' commitment to build up to 500 MW of solar generation. "By increasing renewable generation we will free up generation capacity at Huntly Power Station to support energy security for our customers and New Zealand," said Hickman. "We're excited to start building at Leeston, adding to a pipeline of new renewable generation for New Zealand's future." Leeston is one of five solar projects Genesis either has operating or under development. The company's first solar farm at Lauriston in Canterbury, a joint venture with FRV Australia, began generating in 2025. Construction is underway at the Tihori solar farm near Edgecumbe, a site at Rangiriri in the Waikato is progressing towards FID, and the proposed Foxton solar farm recently received fast-track approval. The projects reflect the growing role solar generation is playing in Genesis' future generation mix and investment plans, adding value to the grid scale batteries Genesis is building at Huntly Power Station. "We can capture electricity generated when the sun is shining and demand is lower, and store it in our batteries to discharge when it's most needed during morning and evening demand peaks." Hickman said solar is helping unlock the potential of New Zealand's abundant sunshine, with projects like Leeston demonstrating how that resource can be harnessed at scale. "Leeston is another step forward for our solar programme. With each new project we're turning more of New Zealand's sunshine into renewable electricity and expanding the role solar can play in powering homes, businesses and communities." | Leeston site area | 111 ha | | Expected construction cost* | c $125m ($1.78m / MWp) | | Annual electricity generation | Up to 110 GWh | | MW capacity | 70 MWp | | Expected first generation | 2028 | *Construction cost includes EPC construction, connections, finance and leases through construction and other costs. Media contact. Estelle Sarney External Communications Manager

Genesis Energy selects Robotron NZ's for commercial and industrial billing. 24/08/2026 Energy Robotron New Zealand is proud to announce that Genesis Energy has selected Robotron's industry-leading energy data management platform,, to support its Commercial & Industrial (C&I) retail business. This milestone further strengthens Robotron's position as one of New Zealand's leading providers of energy market, billing and customer management solutions for retailers, generators and commercial energy providers. Genesis Energy is one of New Zealand's largest energy companies, serving residential, commercial and industrial customers across the country. As part of the project, Robotron's proven platform will support key business processes, including energy data management, market communications, billing, reconciliation, switching and offer calculation for Genesis' C&I operations. The solution will provide a modern, scalable platform designed to support the evolving needs of large energy customers and the changing dynamics of the New Zealand energy market. This project represents another significant step in Robotron's continued growth in New Zealand and further expands a customer portfolio that already includes many of the country's leading energy retailers and market participants. The announcement is particularly noteworthy given Genesis Energy's acquisition of Ecotricity, a long-standing Robotron customer. Ecotricity has successfully utilised Robotron's software platform to support its innovative renewable energy retail business, demonstrating the flexibility and reliability of Robotron's solutions in New Zealand's competitive energy sector. Genesis will combine the capabilities of Genesis and Ecotricity to provide an integrated energy offering for its commercial and industrial customers. The adoption of platform across the C&I portfolio will provide a common platform to support sophisticated energy requirements, enabling Genesis to deliver scalable, efficient and tailored energy solutions as customer needs and the New Zealand energy market evolve. The Genesis implementation will draw on Robotron's extensive experience in delivering energy market solutions, helping to ensure operational efficiency, regulatory compliance and exceptional service for commercial and industrial customers. Yve Bourke, General Manager of Enterprise at Genesis Energy, said: "The solution was well suited to the specific needs of C&I customers and was already in operation at Ecotricity. Our C&I customers have complex and highly tailored requirements. Through Ecotricity, we have seen the strength of Robotron's platform in supporting these needs, and it provides a proven solution for this part of our portfolio." Alexander Born, CEO of Robotron New Zealand, said: "We are delighted to welcome Genesis Energy as a customer and are excited to support their Commercial & Industrial business with our proven energy market platform. Together with our existing partnerships across the New Zealand energy sector, this project reinforces Robotron's commitment to helping energy retailers navigate an increasingly complex market whilst delivering outstanding service to their customers." The project reflects the strong confidence that New Zealand energy retailers continue to place in Robotron's expertise, in-depth market knowledge and specialised software solutions tailored specifically for the energy industry. ________________________________________ ABOUT GENESIS ENERGY Genesis Energy is one of New Zealand's largest diversified energy companies, supplying electricity, gas and energy services to customers throughout the country. The company operates a broad portfolio of generation assets and plays a significant role in New Zealand's transition towards a more sustainable energy future.