Origin Contact Merger - Fact Sheet Contact Energy

Fact Sheet - Contact Energy Limited

Contact Energy Limited

- In just 10 years Contact has transformed itself from a state owned enterprise into a world-class integrated energy business.

- New Zealand's second largest electricity generator and largest wholesaler and retailer of natural gas.

- Supplies around 28% of New Zealand's total retail electricity market and 40% of New Zealand's total retail gas market.

- Supplies electricity and gas to more than 500,000 customers.

History & Ownership

- Established as a state owned enterprise by the New Zealand Government in 1995.

- In 1998 the New Zealand Government decided to sell Contact and the company was listed on the New Zealand and Australian Stock Exchanges in 1999.

- De-listed from the Australian Stock Exchange in July 2002, but is still listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange.

- Second largest publicly listed company on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, with around 95,000 shareholders and a market value of $3.7 billion.

- Contact's majority shareholder is the Australian energy company, Origin Energy, which holds a 51.4 per cent stake in the company.

Electricity

- Operates 10 power stations in New Zealand providing 27% of the country's generation capacity from renewable hydro generation, renewable geothermal generation and combined and open cycle gas-fired plants:

- Otahuhu B, Auckland, 380 MW combined cycle gas turbine

- Otahuhu A, Auckland provides reactive power for the stability of the electricity system

- Te Rapa, Hamilton, 44 MW co-generation

- Ohaaki, Taupo 104 MW geothermal (restricted to 34 MW due to steam availability)

- Wairakei, Taupo 181 MW geothermal (including 16 MW binary plant)

- Poihipi, Taupo 55 MW geothermal (restricted to 37 MW due to steam availability)

- New Plymouth, approximately 300 MW gas turbine

- Taranaki Combined Cycle (TCC), approximately 367 MW combined cycle gas turbine

- Clyde, Clutha River, Central Otago, 432 MW hydro

- Roxburgh, Clutha River, Central Otago, 320 MW hydro

- Also manages under contract the New Zealand Government's reserve generation plant at Whirinaki, Hawke's Bay and has a minority interest in Oakey Power, Toowoomba, Australia.

- As an electricity retailer and wholesaler, Contact sells electricity to around 512,000 customers under the Contact and Empower brands.

- Contact is the incumbent electricity retailer in the Far North, Counties, Eastland, Hawkes Bay, Kapiti-Horowhenua, Tasman, North Canterbury, South Canterbury, Dunedin, Invercargill and Southland.

Gas

- As New Zealand's largest retailer and wholesaler of natural gas, Contact sells gas to 81,000 customers, as well as to its own gas-fired power stations in Taranaki and Auckland.

- Contact is the incumbent gas retailer in Auckland, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay and Wellington.

- Contact has traditionally sourced most of its natural gas from the Maui gas field off the Taranaki coast of New Zealand's North Island.

- With the Maui field depleting, Contact is looking for new sources of natural gas, particularly for electricity generation and has an active exploration programme to find new gas sources in the Taranaki Basin (owns exploration permit PEP38493).

- If insufficient natural gas is not found to replace the Maui supply, Contact is investigating the option of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a backstop energy option for New Zealand.

Geothermal

- Contact is New Zealand's largest, most experienced geothermal generator

- In 2005, completed a successful geothermal drilling programme in steam fields to which it has development rights in Taupo.

People

- Contact employs nearly 800 people across its Wellington head office, Lower Hutt retail services centre, Levin and Dunedin call centres and its 10 generation sites around the country.

For more information visit www.mycontact.co.nz

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