Vector Limited

Vector Limited commits $10 billion to Auckland

Auckland's growth requires long-term thinking.

Vector is in the middle of investing $10 billion over 20 years in the electricity network that powers homes, businesses and essential services across the region.
The NZ Herald explained more in its Infrastructure business report. (Link in the first comment.👇)

What is switchgear? The hidden traffic control system for Auckland’s electricity network⚡🚗

Think about driving into Auckland: a motorway carries traffic quickly over a long distance, then it reaches an interchange, where traffic exits onto different roads.

Electricity moves through the network in a similar way, travelling along major routes before reaching a substation and being channelled into local areas.
That is where switchgear comes in.

Switchgear is a collection of equipment that helps control and protect the electricity network.

Think of it like traffic controls for electricity.
It can:
🚦 Control where electricity flows
🚧 Isolate part of the network when work needs to be done
⚠️ Disconnect a section when there is a fault
🛡️ Help protect equipment and limit the impact of a problem

In the next post, Chris Bateup, Vector Limited’s capital programme portfolio manager of primary assets, takes us inside the substation to explain how switchgear works.

Vector Limited celebrates our young professionals at RYLA 2026

This week, our Vector team attended the Rotary International ’s Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) celebration to recognise four of our people who took part in the 2026 RYLA programme: Ashley Mills, Hayley Thomas, Jun Noh and Ivan Roentgen.

RYLA is a week-long leadership programme for people under 30, helping them to build confidence, strengthen communication and collaboration skills, and connect with others who want to contribute to their community.

What does a transformer actually do?

Most of us use electricity every day without thinking about how it gets from where it is generated to our homes, schools and businesses. We talked about substations earlier, now it's time to talk about transformers.

A transformer is one of the quiet pieces of equipment that helps make electricity move safely through the network.⚡

Think of electricity like traffic. High voltage lines are the motorways that move large amounts of power efficiently across the network. A ‘step-down’ transformer is like the off-ramp, reducing the voltage before electricity enters the lines on local streets and reaches homes and businesses.

Inside the transformer, a few important things work together:

⚡The coil windings act like carefully built lanes for electricity to move through.

🧲 The steel core helps transfer energy from one set of windings to another, using a changing magnetic field.

🛢️Transformer oil helps insulate high-voltage parts and carries heat away from the core and windings.

The size of a transformer is not just about how big it looks from the outside. It depends on how much electrical load it is designed to safely handle, including the copper, core, insulation, oil cooling, spacing and heat limits working together.

So, when you see a transformer in a substation or on the network, it is doing a very specific job: helping electricity move from one part of the system to the next at a voltage that suits that part of the network.

It may sit quietly in the background, but it plays an important role in keeping Auckland’s electricity network working safely and reliably.

Powering a growing Auckland ⚡

Auckland is growing, and so is the demand for electricity.

Over the past year, Vector Limited has connected more than 13,000 new homes, businesses and developments to the electricity network, bringing the total number of connections across Auckland to more than 642,000.

Behind every connection is a family moving into a new home, a business opening its doors, or someone choosing to electrify the way they live and work.

It's all part of supporting a more connected, more electric Auckland.

Vector Lights for Women's Health Week 10-16 August

Vector Lights shines purple and teal for Tend Women’s Health Week Te Wiki Hauora Wāhine, 10-16 August, empowering all wāhine to prioritise their health and wellbeing. 💜

The aim of this week is to unite Aotearoa's wāhine, fostering a community where they inspire each other, share knowledge, and put their health first. Together, let’s celebrate wāhine and remind everyone that women’s health matters.

with Auckland Council and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi | Tend

University of Canterbury students hear about power engineering careers at Vector Limited

We had some great conversations about the future of energy at the University of Canterbury Graduate and Internship Convention last week. The Vector team connected with engineering students and shared what career pathways in the electricity sector can look like.

A highlight was hearing Diviya Chaggan, one of our network planning engineers, share how she went from Vector graduate to engineer.

She spoke about taking what she learned at university and applying it to real work across Auckland’s electricity network, including projects that support more electric transport, local generation and a changing energy future.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by for a chat, and to the University of Canterbury and Aruhiko Power Engineering Excellence Trust for bringing students and industry together.

Vector Lights for Revved 2026 Summit

Tonight, Vector Lights illuminates the iconic Auckland Harbour Bridge in Revved colours for the Revved 2026 Summit. 800 Kiwi business owners, influential leaders, critical thinkers - one day, all backing each other to build bigger for Aotearoa New Zealand.

And if you spot the Revved logo that looks like a fast forward symbol shining over the water, that is exactly what it means: driving NZ forward.

Look up, Auckland. That glow is ambition, celebrated.

with Auckland Council and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi | Revved Events

Resource consent requirements are changing. Here’s a map to help you plan ahead.

If you're planning a development, subdivision, new building or other project near overhead power lines, understanding clearance requirements early can help avoid problems later.

That's why Vector Limited has created the NZECP 34 Public Access Map.

Whether you're a developer, planner, council, contractor or property owner, the map helps you:

✅ View power line buffer areas
✅ Check your site for safe distance requirements
✅ Design your development to comply with NZECP 34

A few minutes of planning upfront could help avoid redesigns, delays and unexpected costs later.

🔗 Explore the map in the link below

https://data-vector.opendata.arcgis.com/apps/e2d0809544214b1c83b021e2a6196d58/explore