About us
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EA Networks is your locally owned co-operative lines company
EA Networks owns and operates the region's electricity distribution network and an advanced fibre optic communications network. EA Networks also operates a successful contracting business, which supports our electricity and fibre networks whilst also providing services to residents and businesses across the region and beyond.
Being locally owned and operated, EA Networks has strong ties to the community. Whilst focussing on infrastructure investments that provide economic benefit to the region, the company also supports community projects.
We are passionate about our business and our region, and are focussed on delivering safe and reliable network infrastructure that supports our community and the local economy.
EA Networks is proud to support our local schools and extended its fibre optic network to reach all Ministry of Education listed schools across the district.
EA Networks is the naming rights sponsor of Ashburton’s swimming and recreation facility, EA Networks Centre.
We're responsible for building and maintaining the electricity network that connects your home, business or farm to the Transpower network.
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Our role in the industry
As a lines company, we're one part of the wider electricity supply chain. When your electricity retailer sends you an electricity bill, it’s made up of four key market segments: Generation - Transmission - Distributors - Retailers
As an electricity lines company, our role is in the distribution of electricity. We're responsible from getting electricity from the national grid, to homes, businesses and farms across Mid Canterbury.
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A brief history
The EA Networks that we know today was established by proclamation in 1921 after a public petition to create a Power Board. The first board of directors was put in place in November 1921 and, after their first meeting, in January 1922, began the process of formalising the structure and assets of the company. The Ashburton Electric Power Board (AEPB), as it was first known, started life as a privately owned generator. The business grew through a variety of operating voltages, which included 230 volts DC, 3.3 kV, 6.6 kV, 11 kV, and latterly, 33 kV AC. By March 1927 the AEPB had 2,804 consumers and a maximum demand of 1.2 MW (by 2021 this had increased to 181 MW).
During the 1970s irrigation demand caused growth to accelerate dramatically, expanding the 33 kV sub-transmission network to all corners of the Ashburton District. A small hydro generator, Montalto, was then built during the early 1980s.
Electricity Ashburton Limited (as the AEPB became) introduced 22 kV and 66 kV as voltages on the network. A large capital works programme during the late 1990s and the early part of this century now has the majority of sub-transmission lines operating at 66 kV and a significant portion of the distribution network operating at 22 kV.
In 2008 Electricity Ashburton began developing a fibre optic network to establish robust communication links between the electricity network zone sub-stations. The EA Networks Board took the decision to expand the capacity of this network to allow residents and businesses on the fibre network route to connect to the network, allowing access to ultra-fast broadband and other services.
In 2012, Electricity Ashburton rebranded and took on the trading name 'EA Networks', better reflecting the variety of network services the business provided. As a business committed to keeping the lights on and the web connected for consumers throughout Mid Canterbury, EA Networks has continued to deliver world-class, reliable and resilient network infrastructure to consumers in their homes, businesses and farms.
EA Networks now supplies electricity line services to more than 19,500 consumers using almost 3,000 km of underground cables and overhead lines.
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Ownership and structure
EA Networks is the trading name of Electricity Ashburton Limited, a co-operative network business based in Mid Canterbury. The business incorporates an asset management function (the Network Division) and a contracting function (the Field Services Division).
There are 30,069,100 shares issued in Electricity Ashburton Limited. The Ashburton District Council holds 28,750,000 of these shares in a non-rebate/non-voting form. The consumers/shareholders connected to the local electricity distribution system hold 1,278,200 rebate shares at 100 shares per consumer. All consumers/shareholders obtain a discount based on the line charges paid to the company.
Consumers/Shareholders
All new electricity consumers are initially shareholders in the co-operative company. Almost every new consumer chooses to retain their shareholding, and only a handful of existing consumers are not shareholders. Each shareholder (consumer) has one vote to elect a shareholder committee member, irrespective of the size/scale of their electrical connection(s). The shareholders have the responsibility to consider their choice of committee member carefully to ensure they faithfully represent their views both in appointing directors and influencing the performance of the company as a whole.
Shareholders Committee
The Shareholders Committee represents the interests of the shareholders/consumers (to be a shareholder, one must be a consumer). The Committee is responsible for the appointment of directors, scrutiny of the Statement of Corporate Intent (including performance targets) and monitoring and reporting of the performance of the company and directors to the shareholders. The Shareholders Committee also provides the principal means to resolve conflicts between asset management practices and large stakeholder interests. Four of the seven members of the Shareholders Committee are elected by a one-vote-per-shareholder ballot; the remaining three positions are appointed by the Ashburton District Council.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of EA Networks currently has six members. The board is appointed by the Shareholders Committee to oversee the management of the company and is responsible for all corporate governance matters. The board endeavours to ensure that the activities undertaken are carried out in the best interest of all shareholders, while respecting the rights of other stakeholders. The board meet monthly during the financial year.
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Meet the team leading EA Networks
Behind EA Networks is a group of passionate, experienced leaders who drive innovation, reliability, and community connection every day. Their expertise and commitment ensure EA Networks continues to deliver exceptional service and a bright energy future for our region.