What we do
Across the Waikato, we deliver innovative and sustainable energy solutions which enable our communities to thrive.
With over 102,000 residential households and businesses connecting to our electricity services, we’ve been playing an essential role in the economic and social development of our communities for over 100 years.
Key to this growth are strong partnerships and innovation which see us explore new ways of providing critical infrastructure and services to ensure our customers receive affordable, reliable, fairly priced and environmentally sustainable energy.
WEL Networks is part of the WEL Group along with Infratec, NewPower and We.EV.
A snapshot of the WEL Group
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WEL Networks and its subsidiaries (WEL Group) builds, owns and operates $841M worth of electricity network infrastructure.
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WEL Group is 100% owned by the community through our sole shareholder the WEL Energy Trust. WEL Energy Trust was formed in 1993 for the purpose of holding shares in the lines company, WEL Energy Group. The Trust is governed by a board of up to seven trustees, who are elected every three years.
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WEL Group has over 380 people who deliver electricity services to our communities.
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WEL Networks connects more than 102,000 residential properties and businesses (including over 960 commercial/industrial sites), to a power supply within our network area.
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WEL Networks maintains 7,000 kilometres of lines - around 46% are overhead and 54% are underground. This includes low voltage service lines but excludes street lighting pilots, fibre and communications lines.
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Around 72,000 homes and businesses currently have one of our smart meters installed which gives us valuable insights into power consumption patterns and low voltage activity.
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From April 2024 to March 2025 across the 39 public EV chargers within our network we’ve saved 237,000kg of CO2e.
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Over the next decade we’re planning to spend $260M on network development projects to support the current and projected growth within our network. Find out more.
Glossary of Terms
Check out this helpful glossary of electricity sector terms and acronyms produced by Electricity Networks Aotearoa (ENA).
Our supply area
Indicative mapLatest News
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WEL Networks partnering with Copperleaf to improve asset investment decision making
- Innovation
- Sustainability
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Electricity Authority exemption supports more solar energy generation in the Waikato
- Our Communities
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WEL Networks scoops Electricity Engineers’ Association Workplace Safety Award for 2024
- Our Communities