We’re all about creating a sustainable energy future for Aotearoa. Our flexible generation fleet has the country covered no matter the weather.
Contact has been part of New Zealand’s geothermal story for more than 70 years. Our geothermal stations generate reliable, renewable electricity 24/7 by harnessing heat and fluid from deep underground. This steady supply helps balance more weather-dependent renewable energy sources like wind, solar and hydro, supporting a more resilient electricity system for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our geothermal operations are grounded in strong partnerships with local iwi and hapū in the Taupō region, alongside ongoing investment in innovation, safety and long-term asset performance.
Contact’s geothermal fleet contributes around 4.5TWh of renewable electricity to the national grid each year, enough to power around 640,000 homes.
Generations of Kiwis and international experts have planned, designed, built, operated, upgraded and maintained NZ’s hydropower stations for well over a century. Hydro generation provides around 55-60% of Aotearoa’s electricity and is a key part of our energy system and economy.
Contact’s hydro teams look after 43 power stations. Spanning the country from the Bay of Plenty to Otago, the stations were commissioned between 1907 and 2013 and generate renewable electricity using a mix of run-of-river schemes and water stored in lakes.
Contact's hydro fleet contributes around 5.7TWh of renewable electricity annually to the national grid (depending on rainfall), enough to power the equivalent of around 800,000 Kiwi households each year.
At Contact, we’re on a path to decarbonise, and our generation portfolio is now 97% renewable. Our thermal generation fleet is called on less and less as we build more renewable generation and storage infrastructure, but it still plays an important part in supporting New Zealand’s electricity system as the country electrifies and decarbonises.
We turn on our thermal plant to help cover supply shortages during periods of high demand, outages, or when renewable generation from wind, solar or hydro is lower. We have three thermal generation plants throughout the country: two diesel and one gas-powered.
As New Zealand continues to electrify and move to more renewable energy generation, our power system needs added flexibility and resilience. Grid-scale batteries play a critical role in unlocking the full value of renewable energy.
Batteries store electricity from largely renewable energy sources when demand is low and deliver it back to the energy system when demand is high. This enables wind, solar, hydro and geothermal to work together more effectively. Batteries reduce reliance on fossil-fuel (thermal) generation, helping meet the demands of a more electrified future.
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