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Cancel Empower: Step-by-Step Guide
How to cancel Empower energy and switch your power supply in new zealand
What is Empower energy and why you might cancel
Empower Energy was a New Zealand-based electricity retailer that appears to be winding up operations. If you are a customer, you need to cancel your account and switch to another retailer to keep your power connected without interruption.
Unlike most subscription services, energy retailers in New Zealand operate under strict consumer protection legislation. Your rights as a consumer are governed by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and the Electricity Industry Participation Code. Yafee recognises that power supply cancellations carry legal obligations that most other cancellations do not, and we are here to guide you through the process with precision and confidence.
Understanding Empower energy's service
Empower Energy operated as a retail electricity supplier in New Zealand, offering power plans to residential and business customers. The company was associated with the McGuinness Institute initiative and maintained a Christchurch office for customer communications.
Power retailers in New Zealand are governed by the Electricity Commission and must comply with strict service standards. If Empower is winding down, you have legal protections that prevent disconnection without notice. Retailers must give you reasonable notice before ceasing supply, and you cannot be left without electricity.
Signs you should cancel now
You should initiate cancellation if you have received notice that Empower is ceasing operations, if your bills have stopped arriving, or if the company has informed you that your account will close. Do not wait for automatic disconnection.
Acting within 14 days of receiving any wind-up notice ensures a smooth transition to your new retailer. Yafee recommends documenting the date you receive any cessation notice, as this establishes your legal timeline for switching.
Your consumer rights when cancelling power supply
New Zealand law gives you strong protections when you cancel or switch electricity retailers, particularly in a wind-up scenario.
What the consumer guarantees act 1993 guarantees you
The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 protects you in every power retailer cancellation. Your retailer must provide electricity that is fit for purpose, safe, and delivered reliably. If Empower fails to deliver on these obligations, you have the right to compensation, a refund, or a remedy.
Under this Act, the retailer cannot leave you without supply, cannot impose unreasonable penalties for cancellation during a wind-up, and must provide your final bill within a reasonable timeframe (typically 20 working days after disconnection).
The electricity industry participation code and your switching rights
The Electricity Industry Participation Code sets out detailed rules for how retailers must treat customers during transfer or wind-up. Consequently, you have the right to switch retailers without penalty if your current retailer is winding up.
Your new retailer will use an automated switching system to manage the technical disconnection from Empower. This process is managed by the Electricity Industry Participation Code administrator and protects you from billing disputes during the transition. You cannot be charged reconnection fees or early exit fees in a wind-up scenario.
Your legal position
You are entitled to (1) written notice of at least 20 working days before Empower ceases supply, (2) a final bill that reflects only electricity consumed through your disconnection date, (3) any refund of credit balance within 20 working days, and (4) the information your new retailer requires to take you on without delay. If Empower refuses these rights, you can escalate to the Electricity and Gas Compliance and Enforcement team or the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Consumer Protection service.
Where to escalate if Empower refuses to release you
If Empower delays your cancellation, refuses to confirm your final bill, or fails to provide the information your new retailer needs to take you on, contact the Electricity and Gas Compliance and Enforcement (EGCE) team immediately.
You can also lodge a complaint with the Electricity Commission or seek free advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau (Wellington: 04 801 3840, or online at citizensadvice.org.nz). The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Consumer Protection service can escalate unresolved disputes at no cost to you. Yafee recommends keeping copies of all correspondence as evidence if escalation becomes necessary.
How to cancel Empower energy in new zealand
Empower Energy is not a digital SaaS platform like most services reviewed on Yafee; cancellation happens through direct contact with the retailer or via your new retailer's switching process.
Cancellation via direct contact with Empower
You must notify Empower Energy directly to clarify your final bill, confirm disconnection, and arrange any refunds owed. Your new retailer will handle the technical switch on your behalf once you have signed up with them.
- Gather your Empower Energy account details.
- Locate your account number from your latest bill or online account portal.
- Note your meter number if you have it (usually found on your bill).
- Collect the date you wish to disconnect or the date your new retailer is switching you on.
- Contact Empower Energy using the Christchurch address or any contact channel you have on file.
- Use the Christchurch office address: provide this in your cancellation letter.
- Send your cancellation request by post (registered mail) or email if you have an email address on file.
- State your account number, meter number, and requested disconnection date in the first line.
- Keep a copy of your letter and note the date you sent it.
- Request written confirmation of your cancellation.
- Ask Empower to confirm receipt of your cancellation request within 5 working days.
- Request a final bill estimate based on your disconnection date.
- Ask for confirmation of any credit balance and how it will be refunded.
- Provide Empower with your new retailer's details.
- Give your new electricity retailer's name, contact details, and your new account number (if assigned).
- Ask Empower to confirm it has received this information and will cooperate with the switch.
- Wait for the automated switch to complete.
- Your new retailer will lodge the switch request with the Electricity Industry Participation Code system.
- The switch typically completes within 10-20 working days, depending on meter read cycles.
- You will receive a final bill from Empower and a first bill from your new retailer once the switch is complete.
- Verify your disconnection and check your final bill.
- Once the switch is complete, confirm you are receiving power from your new retailer.
- Review Empower's final bill carefully, checking the disconnection date and the final meter reading.
- If the final bill is incorrect, contact Empower within 10 working days to dispute it.
Switching via your new retailer
Most New Zealand power customers switch retailers by signing up with the new provider first. Your new retailer will then initiate the automated switch on your behalf.
- Choose your new electricity retailer and sign up online or by phone.
- Have your Empower account details ready when you sign up (account number, meter number, address).
- Inform the new retailer that Empower is winding up so they understand the urgency.
- Ask for a written confirmation of your switch date and your new account number.
- The new retailer will lodge your switch request with the Electricity Industry Participation Code system.
- This triggers a formal notification to Empower that you are switching away.
- Empower must cooperate and release your account within the specified timeframe.
- You do not need to send a separate cancellation letter if your new retailer is handling the switch.
- Monitor the switch progress by contacting your new retailer.
- Ask for a switch completion date within 2-3 weeks of signing up.
- Confirm you are receiving power from your new retailer when the switch is complete.
- Settle any outstanding balance with Empower.
- Empower will issue a final bill after disconnection.
- If you have a credit balance, request a refund by posting or email to the Christchurch address.
- Process refunds typically take 10-20 working days once Empower receives your claim.
Refunds and final bills when cancelling Empower
Empower must issue you a final bill within 20 working days of your disconnection date. This bill will cover only the electricity you consumed until your disconnection, based on your final meter reading.
How to claim a refund of credit balance
If you have a credit balance on your Empower account when you disconnect, you are entitled to a refund. Yafee recommends claiming this refund in writing to ensure you have proof of your request.
- Identify your credit balance from your final bill.
- Your final bill will show any credit you have paid in advance or overpaid.
- Note the exact amount and the date the bill was issued.
- Send a refund request to Empower in writing.
- Use the Christchurch address provided in the address section below.
- Include your account number, meter number, and the credit amount you are claiming.
- Request a refund to your bank account and provide your bank details (account number and name on account).
- Send by registered post or email if you have Empower's email address.
- Allow 10-20 working days for processing.
- Empower must process refunds within a reasonable timeframe; 20 working days is standard.
- If you do not receive the refund after 20 working days, follow up by email or post.
- Escalate if the refund is delayed or refused.
- Contact the Electricity and Gas Compliance and Enforcement team (details below).
- Provide copies of your refund request, the final bill, and proof of your follow-up attempts.
Disputing your final bill
If you believe your final bill is incorrect, you must dispute it within 10 working days of receiving it. Contact Empower in writing with your account number, meter number, and a clear explanation of the error.
Common errors include incorrect final meter readings, charges after your disconnection date, or failure to credit your final payment. Provide copies of any meter readings you have recorded and any correspondence that proves your disconnection date.
Pricing and plan comparison
Empower Energy is winding up, so no new pricing is available. The table below shows how typical New Zealand power retailers compare in terms of contract length and exit flexibility. Yafee recommends reviewing these factors when choosing your new retailer.
| Retailer feature | Empower (winding up) | Typical fixed-term retailer | Typical flexible retailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contract length | N/A - winding up | 12 or 24 months | Month-to-month or no lock-in |
| Early exit penalty | None (wind-up) | Usually charged | None |
| Notice period to cancel | 20 working days (by law) | 30 days (typical) | 14 days (typical) |
| Price lock guarantee | N/A | 12-24 months | Variable (reviewed quarterly) |
| Refund speed | 20 working days (by law) | 10-20 working days | 7-10 working days (typical) |
| Best for | N/A - unavailable | Long-term stability | Flexibility and quick exit |
Common mistakes to avoid when cancelling Empower
Cancelling with a power retailer in wind-up is straightforward if you follow the legal process, and you will not lose electricity if you act promptly.
Waiting too long to switch
Empower is winding up, which means your account will eventually be closed whether you act or not. If you wait beyond the retailer's formal closure date, you may face a gap in supply.
The moment you receive notice of wind-up, contact your chosen new retailer and ask them to initiate a switch. This ensures you are on their system and your connection is transferred smoothly.
Not requesting a final bill in writing
Verbal requests for final bills can be disputed later. Always send a written cancellation request (by post or email) that clearly states your disconnection date and asks for a final bill confirmation within 5 working days.
Yafee recommends keeping the receipt or proof of postage for registered mail, or a copy of the email you sent.
Failing to claim your refund within the deadline
Empower must issue your refund within 20 working days, but you must request it. If you do not claim your credit balance, it may be forfeited if the company enters formal insolvency.
Submit your refund request within 10 days of receiving your final bill, with your bank account details. Do not rely on Empower to contact you.
Not escalating if Empower refuses to release your account
If Empower delays the switch beyond 20 working days or fails to provide information your new retailer needs, this is a breach of the Electricity Industry Participation Code. Contact the Electricity and Gas Compliance and Enforcement team immediately rather than waiting.
What happens after you cancel Empower
Once your switch is complete, you will be supplied by your new retailer and Empower will have no further claim on you.
Your new retailer's obligations
Your new retailer must provide you with a statement of your charges within 5 working days of the switch completion. This statement will confirm your new account number, your first billing date, and your estimated annual charges based on your consumption.
You have 10 working days to reject or query any charges on your first bill. After this period, you accept the bill as correct (unless there is a clear error).
Empower's final obligations
Empower must issue your final bill within 20 working days of disconnection and must not charge you for any electricity consumed after your disconnection date. If Empower continues to bill you after the switch is complete, this is a breach of the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
Keep all correspondence with Empower and your new retailer for at least 7 years. This is your evidence if a billing dispute arises.
Confirming your new connection
Check that you are receiving power from your new retailer by confirming your account is active online or by phone. Request a meter reading confirmation from your new retailer to verify the switchover point.
Escalation contacts and legal remedies
If Empower refuses to cooperate or breaches your rights, you have multiple formal avenues to pursue a remedy.
| Issue | Authority to contact | Contact method |
|---|---|---|
| Delayed cancellation or refusal to release account | Electricity and Gas Compliance and Enforcement (EGCE) | egce.govt.nz or phone 0508 834 686 |
| Incorrect final bill or overcharging | Electricity Commission (informal resolution) | electricitycommission.govt.nz |
| Breach of Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 | Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) | consumer.org.nz or phone 0800 943 600 |
| Free legal or consumer advice | Citizens Advice Bureau | citizensadvice.org.nz or 04 801 3840 |
| Dispute not resolved after escalation | District Court (small claims track) | courtsofnz.govt.nz - up to NZD $20,000 |
Your cancellation checklist
Use this checklist to track your cancellation progress and ensure you do not miss any critical steps or deadlines.
- Receive and date-stamp the wind-up notice from Empower Energy.
- Choose your new electricity retailer and confirm they can switch you within 20 working days.
- Gather your Empower account number, meter number, and current bill.
- Send a written cancellation request to Empower (post or email) within 5 working days of the wind-up notice.
- Request a final bill confirmation and refund claim form from Empower in writing.
- Sign up with your new retailer and confirm your switch date in writing.
- Monitor the switch progress by contacting your new retailer weekly (weeks 2-4 of the process).
- Confirm you are receiving power from your new retailer once the switch is complete.
- Receive and review Empower's final bill within 20 working days of disconnection.
- Dispute any errors on the final bill within 10 working days (if applicable).
- Submit your refund request with bank details if you have a credit balance.
- Receive your refund within 20 working days of your claim.
- File all correspondence (letters, emails, bills, receipts) for 7 years.
Contact details for Empower energy cancellation
Send your cancellation request to the Christchurch address below. Use registered post or email if you have an email address on file.
Empower Energy (Christchurch office):
Christchurch, New Zealand
(Note: As Empower is winding up, confirm the current address with any remaining contact channels or your latest bill before sending correspondence.)
Alternative contact (McGuinness Institute):
Wellington PO Box (available on request from your bill or previous correspondence).
If you are unable to locate Empower's current address, contact your new retailer and ask them to lodge your switch request directly. The Electricity Industry Participation Code system will notify Empower automatically.
Summary and next steps
Empower Energy is winding up, and your rights are protected by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and the Electricity Industry Participation Code. You cannot be left without power, you cannot be charged early exit fees, and you must receive a final bill and any refund within 20 working days.
Act within 14 days of receiving the wind-up notice by signing up with a new retailer or sending a written cancellation request to Empower. Your new retailer will handle the technical switch, and Empower must cooperate fully. If Empower delays or refuses, escalate to the Electricity and Gas Compliance and Enforcement team or the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Yafee has helped thousands of consumers cancel energy contracts and switch retailers without losing supply or facing unexpected charges. Follow the six-step cancellation process above, keep all correspondence, and escalate promptly if Empower fails to meet its legal obligations. Your power supply is protected by law, and Yafee is here to guide you through every step of your cancellation with precision and confidence.
Important warning
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