Wellington Seminars

The Next Wellington Seminar

New Zealand’s wholesale electricity market: Fit for the future?

Speakers: Tony Baldwin and David Hunt

Date: Wednesday 8th May 2024

Venue: MinterEllisonRuddWatts, 125 The Terrace #18 Wellington

Time: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm NZST

RSVP here

Webinar via Zoom, Meeting ID: 876 3211 8985, Passcode: 878630

About Seminar:

The session will cover:

  • A quick recap of how the current wholesale market works;
  • How New Zealand’s electricity system is expected to change in physical and economic terms with the bulk of new supply coming from renewable sources;
  • Will we still need a wholesale electricity market?
  • If so, what changes are required in the wholesale market’s design and function?

Further information is set out in the report of the Market Development Advisory Group – https://www.ea.govt.nz/documents/4335/Appendix_A2_-_Final_recommendations_report.pdf

About our speakers:

Tony Baldwin provides advisory and project management services to private and public sector organisations on commercial transactions, strategy, and regulatory policy. He has chaired or project managed a range of major projects, including recent reform proposals by the Electricity Authority’s Market Development Advisory Group; the public float of Genesis Energy (and subsequent M&A transactions); ‘unbundling’ access to Telecom’s local loop network; the deregulation and corporatisation of nine statutory producer boards; and restructuring the electricity industry in the 1990s. Before consulting, Tony was a member of the Policy Advisory Group in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and a lawyer at Chapman Tripp in Wellington practicing in corporate and securities law. His details are at www.tonybaldwin.co.nz

David Hunt has worked on a wide range of energy and infrastructure issues for public and private sector clients in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. He combines rigorous economic analysis with strong practical knowledge and understanding.. David was previously Chief Executive of Contact Energy and, before that, worked for a large Australian energy sector participant. Prior to moving into business, David held senior roles at the NZ Treasury, including Economic Adviser to the Minister of Finance. David is deputy chair of the Accident Compensation Corporation, a director of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd, and an associate at Concept Consulting Group.

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