Explore this Work Programme:
Overview
The Switching Rules enable consumers to choose and alternate efficiently and satisfactorily between competing retailers.
The Gas (Switching Arrangements) Rules 2008 (the Rules) came into effect on 1 March 2009 and were last modified on 14 September 2015.
The Rules enable consumers to choose, and alternate, efficiently and satisfactorily between competing retailers. The Rules also establish the gas registry, the authoritative database of natural gas connection information.
The Rules provide for:
- the appointment of a Registry Operator;
- the establishment, population and operation of the registry, which stores key technical parameters about every customer installation and facilitates and monitors each customer switch from initiation through to completion;
- the management of information held by the registry;
- a process for switching consumers between retailers;
- audits of registry participants; and
- a process for dealing with retailer insolvency
Key areas for this Work Programme
The day to day work that occurs as a result of the Rules and how they operate can be found in Current Arrangements.
The Developing section contains details of the current rule change process to modify the Rules to provide for D+1, AGMI and renewable gas injection.
The Background section covers the original development of the Rules, along with subsequent reviews and amendments and previous consultations.
Up-to-date switching and market share data can be found in the Data section of our website:
Current arrangements
The Switching Rules enable consumers to choose and alternate efficiently and satisfactorily between competing retailers.
They provide for a centralised database, the Gas Registry, which stores essential technical parameters about every customer installation and facilitates and monitors each customer switch from initiation through to completion.
This page provides details of the ongoing operation of the Rules, Gas Registry and switching arrangements.
The latest switching statistics as well as previous years' monthly switching statistics can be found in our data section.
Also see the Gas registry statistics dashboard under Key areas below.
Key areas
The Switching Rules establish a set of gas switching and registry arrangements that will enable consumers to choose, and alternate, efficiently and satisfactorily between competing retailers. The Rules provide for:
- the appointment of a registry operator (see Current Arrangements / registry operator for more information)
- the establishment, population and operation of the registry
- the management of information held by the registry
- a process for switching consumers between retailers
- audits of registry participants
- a process for dealing with retailer insolvency
The Switching Rules were amended, as part of the Registry Amendments Project, to incorporate extra metering fields into the Registry and to refine the switching process and improve other Registry processes. At the same time, provisions were added to the Switching Rules to ensure the integrity of registry data in the event of a retailer insolvency.
Details of the latter arrangements can be found on the Retailer Insolvency page:
The amendments to the Switching Rules took effect on 14 September 2015 after an implementation project and industry-wide data cleansing programme.
Further background can be found on the Registry Amendments Project and the Registry Amendments Implementation pages:
Registry Amendments Implementation
Related documents
The Switching Rules require us to appoint a registry operator to establish, maintain and operate the gas registry.
Following a competitive tender process in early 2008, Jade Software Corporation (NZ) Limited (Jade) was appointed as the registry operator, to develop and operate the gas registry in accordance with a Development and Establishment Agreement (DEA) and Service Provider Agreement (SPA) respectively.
The SPA began on the go live date of the gas registry, 1 March 2009, and continued for a 9-year term. Before it expired, we conducted another competitive tender process (run jointly with the Electricity Authority due to the similarity with its registry manager role). The result was the reappointment of Jade under a new SPA beginning 1 March 2018. The DEA and current SPA documents can be found below.
Related Information
Monthly self-review reportsRelated documents
The Rules require that we determine and publish the necessary information to fully implement the Switching Rules and the Registry in particular. These determinations are maintained in consultation with registry participants and the current version is available below.
Matariki a public holiday
We have determined that the new public holiday acknowledging Matariki is a non-business day under gas governance rules and regulations.
The Notice of Determination of Non-Business Day by the Industry Body (Gas Industry Co) under Gas Governance Rules and Regulations can be read below.
It provides for this additional non-business day until the rules and regulations are amended to include an explicit reference to Matariki alongside New Zealand’s other statutory holidays.
Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day
Following the passing of the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day Bill on 20 September 2022, we determined Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day, Monday 26 September 2022, to be a non-business day for the purpose of the Arrangements.
The Notice of Determination of Non-Business Day by the Industry Body (Gas Industry Co) under Gas Governance Rules and Regulations can be read below.
Related Information
Previous DeterminationsDeterminations by the Industry Body (Gas Industry Co) under the Gas (Switching Arrangements) Rules 2008
Consultation: Revised Determinations under the Gas (Switching Arrangements) Rules 2008
Related documents
Gas gate notice form
This form should be used by distributors to provide notice of changes to gas gate information, including:
- creating a new gas gate
- changing information about an existing gas gate
- decommissioning an existing gas gate.
As required by rule 46 of the Gas (Switching Arrangements) Rules 2008 distributors must provide notice to the industry body, registry operator, allocation agent and all affected retailers at least 20 business days before the effective date.
The form can be found below.
Gas registry access application form
This form should be used by industry participants to:
- update participant register information
- create and/or expire participant and ICP distributor codes
- create or expire or reset FTP accounts
- create and/or expire online supervisor accounts.
The form can be found below.
Related documents
The switching and registry market fees are monthly fees charged to gas retailers that cover the ongoing costs associated with the gas registry and switching arrangements. The ongoing costs are:
- the costs payable to the registry operator
- the costs of Gas Industry Co associated with the gas registry and our role under the Switching Rules.
Market fees are paid by retailers each month based on their ICP market share (number of customers) on the first day of each month.
We estimate the ongoing costs before each financial year, collect market fees in monthly installments throughout the year, and then perform an end of year wash-up once the actual costs are known.
Ongoing costs for FY2026 (1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026)
| Cost category | Estimated costs |
| Registry Operator: base fee | $328,100 |
| Registry Operator: escrow fee | $5,250 |
| Registry Operator: system development | $150,000 |
| Gas Industry Co: staff costs | $212,000 |
| Total ongoing costs | $695,350 |
Ongoing costs for FY2025 (1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025)
| Cost category | Estimated costs |
| Service provider – base fee | $312,500 |
| Escrow arrangements | $5,000 |
| Service provider - system development | $150,000 |
| Total ongoing costs | $467,500 |
Ongoing costs for FY2024 (1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024)
| Cost category | Estimated costs |
| Service provider – base fee | $300,000 |
| Escrow arrangements | $5,000 |
| Service provider - system development | $150,000 |
| Total ongoing costs | $455,000 |
Related documents
This dashboard provides an overview of New Zealand’s natural gas market. The information is sourced from the gas registry and reports on retailer switching, and market shares for retailer, distributor and meter owner.
To view a larger version of the report, click on the double-ended arrow found on the bottom right-hand corner of the dashboard.
Toggle between the pages to view individual reports on:
- network snapshot showing information on distribution and meter ownership
- retailer statistics
- monthly switching statistics
- data on the number of times ICPs have switched since the registry began in 2009.
Clicking individual data points can filter other visuals. Hold down control to make multiple filter selections.
A focus button at the top-right corner of each visual lets you enlarge that specific image. An eraser button at the top-right corner of each filter will let you clear your selection.
Historical registry data and switching statistics can be downloaded here.
The guidelines below were issued by the Market Administrator to show how it will apply the factors to be taken into account when determining whether alleged breaches raise material issues under the Gas Governance (Compliance) Regulations 2008. These guidelines should assist switching participants in interpreting and applying the Gas (Switching Arrangements) Rules 2008
Related documents
Transitional exemptions were provided for when the Rules and the Registry first went live. All exemptions expired or were revoked within two years of go live of the Registry and the exemption provisions were removed from the Rules in February 2011.
Consultations on these previous exemptions, now expired or revoked, can be found in the side navigation.
Related Information
Previous ExemptionsWe commission performance audits of compliance with the Gas (Switching Arrangements) Rules 2008 (Rules). Under rule 95, we must publish all final audit reports.
The reports published below have been commissioned under the provisions of the Rules. As required by rule 90, the auditors appointed for these audits are independent of Gas Industry Co. These reports represent the work of the individual auditors. Any conclusions reached, or opinions expressed, in the final audit reports are solely the auditors' and do not necessarily reflect the views of Gas Industry Co.
Related Information
Switching Audits - Previous (2016-2018)Switching Audits - Previous (2019-2023)
Related documents
Developing
Recommendation to the Minister for Energy
In November 2024, we made a recommendation to the Minister for Energy to make amendments to gas governance arrangements (the Gas (Downstream Reconciliation) Rules 2008 and the Gas (Switching Arrangements) Rules 2008).
The purpose of the amendments is to ensure that the Rules remain fit for purpose as technology, gas supply and commercial arrangements evolve in the downstream gas market. This followed an earlier Statement of Proposal that presented a series of proposed amendments that respond to market-led initiatives such as advanced gas metering, D+1 and renewable gas injection.
The Recommendation, Statement of Proposal and associated documents are published under the Downstream Reconciliation work programme:
Background
The Switching Rules enable consumers to choose, and alternate efficiently and satisfactorily between competing retailers. The Switching Rules provide for a centralised database, the Gas Registry, which stores key technical parameters about every customer installation and facilitates and monitors each customer switch from initiation through to completion.
Key Areas
The purpose of the Switching Rules is to establish a set of gas switching and registry arrangements that will enable consumers to choose, and alternate, efficiently and satisfactorily between competing retailers. The Rules provide for:
- the appointment of a Registry Operator. More information on the Registry Operator can be found on the Operations page;
- the establishment, population and operation of the registry;
- the management of information held by the registry;
- a process for switching consumers between retailers;
- audits of registry participants; and
- a process for dealing with retailer insolvency
The Switching Rules were recently amended, as part of the Registry Amendments Project, to incorporate additional metering fields into the Registry and to refine the switching process and improve other Registry processes. At the same time, provisions were added to the Switching Rules to ensure the integrity of registry data in the event of a retailer insolvency. Details of the latter arrangements can be found on the Retailer Insolvency page.
The amendments to the Switching Rules took effect on 14 September 2015 following an implementation project and industry-wide data cleansing programme. For further information refer to the section below on the Registry Amendments Project and to the Registry Amendments Implementation page.
Related documents
In late 2013, Gas Industry Co called for nominations for an industry working group, the Registry Amendments Project Team (RAPT), to review, and consider changes to, the Switching Rules and the Registry. The project was motivated by recommendations from several audits under the Reconciliation Rules that additional metering information should be added to the Registry. The RAPT discussed this proposal along with a broader list of suggested improvements to the Rules and the Registry.
The outcome was a Statement of Proposal, released by Gas Industry Co in August 2014, followed by a Recommendation to the Minister to amend the Rules released in December 2014. These documents can be found below in Related Documents. The proposed amendments support the purpose of the Rules and the Registry, and in particular seek to:
- increase the accuracy and efficiency of retailers’ conversion of metered volumes to energy by adding additional metering fields to the Registry;
- increase oversight of the quality and maintenance of information in the Registry by requiring Registry participants to undergo performance audits;
- better align switching for dual fuel customers by reducing the maximum timeframe for gas switches from 23 business days to 10 business days; and
- make minor amendments to the switch process and the ICP life cycle to better reflect the reality of commercial arrangements in the gas market.
The Minister approved the Recommendation in early March 2015 and implementation began in mid-March, with a subsequent go live in mid-September. The six-month implementation project focused on detailed functional design, user acceptance testing of the Registry changes, participants’ testing of their own system enhancements and a simultaneous industry-wide data cleansing project of gas metering data. Further information on the implementation of these amendments can be found on the Registry Amendments Implementation (2014) page.
Related Information
Registry Amendments Implementation (2014)Statement of Proposal (August 2014)
Registry Amendments Project Team (RAPT)
Related documents
On 27 October 2010, Gas Industry Co made a recommendation in respect of minor amendments to the Gas (Switching Arrangements) Rules 2008. The text of the recommendation is available below, which includes a marked-up amendment to the Rules at Appendix C. The analysis of submissions to the earlier Statement of Proposal is also provided.
Related Information
Statement of Proposal (July 2010)Discussion Paper (February 2010)
Bertram Report: Private Networks (February 2009)
Related documents
Related Information
Discussion Paper - Revised Proposal for Allocation of Switching and Registry CostsRecommendation to the Minister of Energy and Resources on Switching Arrangements for the New Zealand Gas Industry
Decision Paper on Switching and Compliance
Statement of Proposal - Switching Arrangements for the New Zealand Gas Industry - Part 1
Statement of Proposal - Switching Arrangements for the New Zealand Gas Industry - Part 2 Compliance and Enforcement Arrangements
Discussion Paper - Mechanisms to Implement a Central Registry
Cost Benefit Analysis Consultation - Switching and Registry
Options for Switching Arrangements for the New Zealand Gas Industry