List of Embedded Network areas
Cody C made this Official Information request to Electricity Authority
The request was refused by Electricity Authority.
From: Cody C
Dear Electricity Authority,
Please supply an XLSX or CSV list of street addresses (num/unit, street, suburb, town, region), by ICP, from the Electricity Registry where that ICP is listed as being on an embedded network. For example, but not limited to, participant network code = TENC.
I understand that this information will be out-of-date the moment it is given to me as this data can change often.
Yours faithfully,
Cody C
From: Cody C
Dear Electricity Authority,
Please acknowledge this request.
Yours faithfully,
Cody C
From: OIA
Electricity Authority
Kia ora Cody C,
Thank you for your request of 9 November 2023, under the Official Information Act 1982, for the following information:
- "an XLSX or CSV list of street addresses (num/unit, street, suburb, town, region), by ICP, from the Electricity Registry where that ICP is listed as being on an embedded network. For example, but not limited to, participant network code = TENC."
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and in any event no later than 7 November 2023, being 20 working days after the day your request was received.
If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact me by emailing [email address].
Kind regards,
Tessa Ballinger (she/her)
Ministerial Advisor
Level 7, AON Centre, 1 Willis Street
PO Box 10041, Wellington 6143, New Zealand
www.ea.govt.nz
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From: OIA
Electricity Authority
Kia ora Cody,
Thank you for your request of 9 October 2023, under the Official Information Act 1982.
Please find attached the Authority's response. If you have any questions regarding our response, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards,
Tessa Ballinger (she/her)
Ministerial Advisor
Level 7, AON Centre, 1 Willis Street
PO Box 10041, Wellington 6143, New Zealand
www.ea.govt.nz
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From: Cody C
Dear OIA,
This information is already publicly accessible on the EA My Meter webpage. Are you saying that you are already unintentionally breaching people’s privacy?
What I am asking for is a collection of that publicly available data. Further, there is nothing personally identifiable about the relationship between an ICP and its Network company.
Yours sincerely,
Cody C
From: OIA
Electricity Authority
Kia ora Cody,
If you would like to provide more detail about the nature and purpose of your request, we can consider whether your proposed use meets the public interest test under section 9(1) of the Official Information Act.
The information you have requested is publicly available but only to a limited extent given the way the “Your meter” website (and related application programming interface) operates. The “Your meter” website was designed and set up by the Authority to allow access to information about electricity connections and meters. Access to “Your meter” is managed by a search function that requires the individual to input a particular address or a known ICP number. “Your meter” then provides corresponding information for that address or ICP number in response to the query. “Your meter” will not generate lists without the user holding either an address or ICP number to check against.
The information you have requested is not available as a compiled set for the public through “Your meter”. What you are asking for, through your OIA request, is a compilation of the underlying data to provide you with a complete dataset of addresses with specific parameters (embedded networks). Without holding a complete list of addresses or ICP numbers to search against the information could not be obtained through the “Your meter” website as the list you have requested.
The general public may seek ICP information through “Your meter”, or using the Authority’s provided API (application programming interface – computer code that permits computer to computer data exchange) however, this information is only available on an individual ICP by ICP enquiry, not extracted as a report on the basis of particular parameter that may be found within the underlying ICP records. The information available through "Your meter" does not include information about embedded networks but does indicate if the ICP is part of an embedded network (the Reconciliation type will be "EN").
If you are an electricity industry participant providing services to consumers you may be able to access the information you requested through the registry. Participants that are granted access to the Authority’s Electricity Registry may seek ICP level information through the registry, which could include the information sought (where that information is needed to support services being provided). But they must not use this information for purposes other than their Code obligations (this is a condition in the registry access policy).
Please let us know if we can help you with participant access to the registry by emailing [Electricity Authority request email] or email [email address] if you would like to provide more information about your request.
Kind regards,
Tessa Ballinger (she/her)
Ministerial Advisor
Level 7, AON Centre, 1 Willis Street
PO Box 10041, Wellington 6143, New Zealand
www.ea.govt.nz
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From: Cody C
Dear OIA,
Why would it not be in the public’s interest to know where they may not have, or have a limited, choice of electricity retailers?
Yours sincerely,
Cody C
From: Cody C
Dear OIA,
Note - this request is also due to be filled today per OIA requirements.
Yours sincerely,
Cody C
From: Cody C
Dear OIA,
This request is now overdue. A response under OIA is legally required.
Yours sincerely,
Cody C
From: OIA
Electricity Authority
Kia ora Cody
We responded to your request in our letter dated 30 October 2023. Our
decision, based on the information we had available at the time, was that
there was not an overriding public interest in the release of the
information in response to your request that would outweigh the privacy
interests in the information requested.
In response to your follow up questions we provided some additional
information and we gave you the opportunity to provide us with further
information about the nature and purpose of your request in case you had
additional information that might support a change to our position. You
have not provided detail that would support a change in approach to your
request, and so our original decision of 30 October remains.
In relation to your point about the public interest being met by members
of the public being able to find out "where they may not have, or have a
limited, choice of electricity retailers" we note that members of the
public do have the ability to find out if they are on an embedded network
by using the Your meter website to find out about their own meter.
As we said in our letter to you, we may be able to provide you with
aggregated counts such as:
• Total number of embedded networks.
• Total number of ICPs in all embedded networks.
• Count of embedded networks within each of the 29 local
networks.
• Count of ICPs within each embedded network.
Please contact us on [1][email address] if you would like to progress a
request for that information.
Ngā mihi
Lisa Duff (she/her)
Senior Advisor – Communications and Engagement
Level 7, AON Centre, 1 Willis Street
PO Box 10041, Wellington 6143, New Zealand
[2]www.ea.govt.nz
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From: Cody C
Dear OIA,
For absolute clarity, there is no private information being requested here.
Anyone can look at a map and see what broadband providers are in their area, such as Chorus UFB, One NZ HFC, etc.
This is information that the public expects to have available to them when they are moving or purchasing a house, for example.
I am struggling to find a reason why you believe it should be any different for power compared with broadband.
Yours sincerely,
Cody C
From: OIA
Electricity Authority
Kia ora Cody
Our assessment remains that the information that you have requested includes personal information and there is not an overriding public interest that would outweigh the privacy interest in releasing the information you have requested. It is possible for members of the public to find out if they are on an embedded network by using the Your meter website to find out about their meter.
If you would like to request a list of embedded network operators in particular locations, please contact us on [email address] outlining the scope of your new request.
Kind regards,
Tessa Ballinger (she/her)
Ministerial Advisor
Level 7, AON Centre, 1 Willis Street
PO Box 10041, Wellington 6143, New Zealand
www.ea.govt.nz
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From: Cody C
Dear OIA,
Please provide the exact section of the Act that you have declined this request under.
Yours sincerely,
Cody C
From: OIA
Electricity Authority
Kia ora Cody,
In our letter to you dated 30 October 2023, we declined your request under section 9(2)(a) of the Act to protect the privacy of natural persons.
Kind regards,
Tessa Ballinger (she/her)
Advisor - Communications and Ministerial
Level 7, AON Centre, 1 Willis Street
PO Box 10041, Wellington 6143, New Zealand
www.ea.govt.nz
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