Essential Documents

We have organised the following list with hyperlinks to support you to understand the requirements for providing ancillary services. Consult these as part of the preparation phase in the provider journey shown on our Procurement Process webpage. 

Remember, it is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with your Code obligations which include all relevant Asset Owner Performance Obligations (AOPOs) and technical codes in Part 8 of the Code. It is also your responsibility to meet all ancillary service procurement contract obligations, including those related to testing and data provision. 

Regulation

Document / Hyperlink	What is it for?
Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010	Lays out the obligations for all industry participants, including elements relevant to ancillary services.
Ancillary Services Procurement Plan	Sets out the processes the System Operator must follow when procuring ancillary services.
Policy Statement	Sets out the policies by which the System Operator must seek to achieve its Principal Performance Obligations.

Real-time and Historical Data

Document / Hyperlink	What is it for?
em6	New Zealand’s electricity data hub acts as an essential information exchange providing access to electricity market data.
em6 API Integration Guide	Guidance for the available application programming interfaces (API) for ancillary services.
Data & insights	This Electricity Authority webpage provides dashboards, performance metrics and other data to consider when preparing to participate in the ancillary services market. This is the Authority’s ‘new’ home for EMI (electricity market information).
Quarterly system performance report	Contains information about system performance, including in relation to ancillary service costs, frequency fluctuations, commissioning, and security notices.

Testing and Performance

Document / Hyperlink	What is it for?
FM-EA-010 Test Plan	Form required when submitting operational test plans to the System Operator - used for some ancillary services testing.
FM-EA-502 SFK Test Plan	Form required when generators are planning to test single frequency keeping capability as an approved provider.
FM-EA-997 OFR Test Form	Form for submission after testing over-frequency reserve equipment and/or controls and indications to satisfy compliance requirements.
GL-EA-1333 Ancillary Services Testing Requirements	Details test requirements for demonstrating the performance and limitations of your generating asset, battery, or interruptible load, for the provision of ancillary services.
DT-EA-1337 Engineering Methodology Template	Template for new providers of ancillary services to detail testing intentions and methodologies - to be used in conjunction with GL-EA-1333 above.
Asset Capability Statements	Webpage highlighting asset capability information requirements – essential for small scale energy systems providing a dynamic response.
Power System Studies and Modelling	Webpage highlighting connection study and modelling requirements – essential for small scale energy systems providing a dynamic response.
DT-EA-1346 Interruptible Load Proposal Template	Template for proposing new interruptible load schemes for System Operator consideration.
Event Template	Spreadsheet for instantaneous reserve providers to supply data to the System Operator following an under-frequency event.

Trading, Dispatch and Demand Participation

Document / Hyperlink	What is it for?
WITS	The Wholesale Information Trading System (WITS) is the gateway to the New Zealand electricity market.
UG-SD-785 Web Service Dispatch Simulator User Guide*	Supports users of Web Services with dispatch processes.*
GL-SD-1045 Market Dispatch Integration - ICCP and Web Services Guideline*	Provides guidance for integration for both users of ICCP and Web Services dispatch.*
Offer Forms from Schedule 13.1	Offer forms 5 and 6 within this Code schedule are for generation reserve and interruptible load.
Demand Side Participation	Provides an overview of the various ways in which demand side participants can participate in the electricity market.

* Interruptible load providers may not have encountered these documents, but they are important. If you have undergone the generation commissioning process, you would have already encountered them.

Draft Ancillary Services Procurement Contract Schedules

Document / Hyperlink	What is it for?
Standard Terms Part A	Establishes the overarching contractual framework that applies to all ancillary services agreements.
Standard Terms Part A1	Defines key terms and interpretation rules used across ancillary services contracts.
Standard Terms Part A2	Sets out the general legal, operational, and commercial obligations applicable to all parties providing ancillary services.
Standard Terms Part B	Specifies the roles, responsibilities, and requirements for trading agents acting on behalf of ancillary service providers.
Standard Terms Schedule - IR (Instantaneous Reserves)	Specifies the contractual terms, performance requirements, and payment arrangements for the provision of instantaneous reserve services.
Standard Terms Schedule - MFK (Multiple Provider Frequency Keeping)	Specifies the contractual terms, performance requirements, and payment arrangements for the provision of multiple frequency-keeping services.
Standard Terms Schedule - BSFK (Back-up Single Frequency Keeping)	Specifies the contractual terms, performance requirements, and payment arrangements for the provision of backup single frequency-keeping services
Standard Terms Schedule - BS (Black Start)	Specifies the contractual terms, performance requirements, and payment arrangements for the provision of black start services.

You can find a Zip archive of the 2025 terms schedules and tender forms here.

Tender Documents

Document / Hyperlink	What is it for?
Invitation to Tender	Sets out the scope, timetable, eligibility requirements, and process for market participants submitting tender applications.
Tender Terms & Conditions	Defines the legal, commercial, and procedural terms that govern participation in the tender.
Tender Response Letter	Formal cover letter to use to confirm intent to participate and submit a compliant tender response.
Tender Response Form A - Deviations	Contains tender response information for any proposed deviations.
Tender Response Form B – IR	Contains tender response information for Instantaneous Reserve (IR) services.
Tender Response Form C1 – MFK	Contains tender response information for Multiple Frequency Keeping (MFK) services.
Tender Response Form C2 – BSFK	Contains tender response information for Backup Service Frequency Keeping (BSFK).
Tender Response Form E - BS	Contains tender response information for Black Start (BS) services.

You can find the invitation to tender from the 2025 period here.