1. Under section 38(3)(b) of the Electricity Industry Act 2010 (“Act”), and having complied with section 39 of that Act, the Electricity Authority (“Authority”) gives notice of making the Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Application for Distributed Generation) 2021 (“amendment”).

2. The amendment comes into force on 1 September 2021.

3. The amendment adds additional requirements that a distributed generator must meet in order to be eligible under Schedule 6.1, clause 1D to elect to make an application to a distributor under the simplified application process in Schedule 6.1, Part 1A of the Code (Applications for distributed generation of 10kW or less in total in specified circumstances) instead of the standard application process in Part 1 (Applications for distributed generation 10kW or less in total). The additional requirements apply until 1 September 2026.

4. The amendment also updates a reference to standard AS 4777.1 (Grid connection of energy systems via inverters – Part 1: Installation requirements) to replacement standard AS/NZS 4777.1:2016. References to standard AS/NZS 4777.2 (Grid connection of energy systems via inverters – Part 2: Inverter requirements) are also replaced with references to AS/4777.2:2015 to clarify which version of that standard the Code is referring to.

5. A copy of the amendment and the Code are available on the Authority’s website at http://www.ea.govt.nz/code-and-compliance/the-code/.

6. A copy of the amendment and the Code may also be inspected free of charge or purchased from the Electricity Authority, Level 7, Harbour Tower, 2 Hunter Street, Wellington.

7. The amendment incorporates by reference the following standards approved by Standards New Zealand: AS/NZS 4777.1:2016 Grid connection of energy systems via inverters – Part 1: Installation requirements, and AS/NZS 4777.2:2015 Grid connection of energy systems via inverters – Part 2: Inverter requirements.

8. Copies of these standards are available for inspection during normal officer hours, free of charge, at the Electricity Authority, Level 7, Harbour Tower, 2 Hunter Street, Wellington. Copies of the standards may be purchased online from Standards New Zealand at www.standards.govt.nz.

Dated at Wellington this 20th day of July 2021.

Dr NICOLA LANE CRAUFORD, Chairperson, Electricity Authority.