Contact Energy Review

Contact Energy is one of the country's biggest generators of power. Find out everything you need to know about Contact Energy's electricity plans.

Source: Contact
Source: Contact

Contact Energy is one of the country's biggest generators of power. Find out everything you need to know about Contact Energy's electricity plans.

Energy generator and retailer Contact Energy provides a range of services for residential and business customers across New Zealand covering electricity, gas and broadband. Contact says its focus is on delivering great value, great products and great service to its customers.

It has a 25-year history built on a largely renewable portfolio of electricity generation assets. It owns and operates 11 power stations, and produces 80-85% of its electricity from renewable hydro and geothermal stations. Its natural gas and diesel fired power stations only operate when intermittent renewable sources, like hydro and wind plants, can't operate.

What's on offer from Contact?

Contact offers residential customers four basic plans, three featuring discounts for off-peak power:

  • Basic: simple power rates, no fixed term
  • Good Weekends: Free power 9am-5pm every Saturday and Sunday, no fixed term
  • Good Nights: Free power 9pm-midnight every night, no fixed term
  • Good Charge: Half price power 9pm-7am every night of the week

It also retails gas, broadband and mobile plans, and offers deals for bundling power and telco services.

Alternative Energy

If you're generating your own power with a solar system, Contact will pay you for any excess power you generate.

Customer service

Contact provides a range of information via its website's help page. Customers can get in touch with Contact by phone to NZ-based call centres, or online by submitting an enquiry form. Contact is also active on social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Account management

Many of Contact's services are available online, through My Account, Contact's online self-service tool. They also have a great app. Contact Energy's mobile app is available for Android and iOS. Contact's online services via My Account or the app mean customers can: 

  • Update personal details
  • Provide a meter reading
  • View current and previous bills
  • Check their account balance
  • Make a one-off credit card or bank payment
  • Monitor usage
  • Set up a direct debit
  • Set up or cancel SmoothPay, if eligible
  • Send an enquiry
  • Pay a bill
  • See transactions
  • Change to Weekly/Fortnightly billing, if eligible
  • Let Contact know if you're moving
  • Add another property you want Contact to supply

Contact provides its customers with a number of payment options, including:

  • Online and phone via credit card
  • Direct debit
  • SmoothPay – paying weekly, fortnightly or monthly
  • Internet or phone banking
  • In person at an NZ Post shop or Westpac branch

Note: Details are correct at 09/10/25.

Bruce Pitchers is Canstar's NZ Editor. An experienced finance reporter, he has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in Australia, the UK and NZ, including ACP, Are Media, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. As a freelancer, he has worked for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority and major banks and investment companies on both sides of the Tasman.
In his role at Canstar, he has been a regular commentator in the NZ media, including on the DrivenStuff and One Roof websites, the NZ Herald, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB.
Away from Canstar, Bruce creates puzzles for magazines including Woman’s Day and New Idea. He is also the co-author of the murder-mystery puzzle book 5 Minute Murder.


Important Information

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This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.