Contact Energy

Contact Energy Limited is a New Zealand electricity generator, natural gas wholesaler and electricity, natural gas, and LPG retailer.

The company is the second-largest electricity generator in New Zealand (after Meridian Energy), generating 23% of all electricity in 2014, and has the second-largest market share (22%) of electricity retailers (after Genesis Energy). Contact owns and operates twelve power stations in New Zealand with a generation portfolio made up of geothermal, hydro and natural gas assets. Contact Energy's power stations consist of five gas turbine facilities, in Auckland, Hamilton, Hawkes Bay and Taranaki; five geothermal stations north of Taupo; and two hydroelectric dams on the Clutha River.

Contact originated with the partitioning of the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand in 1996, and publicly listed in 1999.

Contact Energy has its own internet-only radio station, Cocoon, on iHeartRadio.

History

Contact was incorporated on 8 November 1995 and became a state owned enterprise on 18 November 1995. Contact commenced operations on 1 February 1996, acquiring assets from ECNZ with a payment of $1.6 billion. As the founding chief executive, Paul Anthony was instrumental in establishing the corporation distinct from ECNZ.