About TECT rebates
TECT rebates are payments distributed by the TECT Consumer Trust to eligible beneficiaries in Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty.
Who are the beneficiaries?
A beneficiary (Consumer) is defined in the TECT Consumer Trust deed as 'customers of Trustpower Ltd who had an active power account in the TECT district* on 28th January 2021', and retained this status by:
Becoming a Mercury Energy customer on 01 May 2022 as the result of the sale of Trustpower’s retail electricity business to Mercury Energy, or
Becoming a Contact Energy customer on 11 July 2025 as the result of the sale of Manawa Energy to Contact Energy,
If customers switch to another power company, they cease to be eligible for future rebates.
If customers change power companies, they have 18 months to return to their original provider and retain status as a beneficiary. Their eligibility for rebates will then be reasssed from the date they switch back.
*The TECT district encompasses the majority of the Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty region. Parts of Waihi Beach are excluded from the TECT District. 106 Seaforth Rd - Bowentown end - is included in TECT's District. 104 Seaforth Rd - Waihi Beach - is excluded.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible for a rebate, beneficiaries must have an active power account in the same name, with Mercury Energy or Contact Energy (as per above definition) in the TECT district continuously during the eligibility periods:
The eligibility period for the July rebate is 1 October the previous year to 31 March.
The eligibility for the December rebate is 1 April to 30 September.
If you moved properties during the qualifying period, there must have been less than 30 days between finalising one account and re-registering with your power company in the new property.
How much is the TECT rebate?
The rebate is $500 a year, with $250 paid in July, and $250 paid in December. The annual amount will increase to $600 a year from 2031 and increase to $700 a year from 2041 until 2050 when the rebates will end.
When is the rebate paid?
The rebate is generally paid in July and December.
Receiving your rebate
Eligible beneficiaries* can choose from three options to receive the rebate:
Credited to your power account**
This will be the default payment option. Allow three working days after the distribution for the credit to be applied to your power account.Paid direct into your bank account
The rebate will be paid directly into your nominated bank account. Allow three working days to see the credit in your account.Gifted to the Acorn Foundation Vital Impact Fund
You can choose to have your rebate gifted to the Acorn Foundation Vital Impact Fund. This fund invests your donation, so that it continues growing over time. Interest earned from this investment is distributed each year to deserving community organisations, so your donation keeps giving to your community – forever. You will be issued a donation receipt from Acorn Foundation and will be able to claim a 33.3% tax credit – so you can give back and get back! See instructions below.
If you wish to change how you receive your rebate:
Call Mercury on 0800 10 18 10. Alternatively, you can manage your own payment preference via your Mercury My Account Login.
Call Contact Energy on 0800 224 424
Please note, Mercury customers can only change their payment preference in advance of the distribution cut off date.
** If you close your power account while any rebate payments (or part payments) remain as a credit on your account, and you are unable to be contacted, then that credit will be returned to TECT 12 months after the date the credit was applied to your account.
FAQs
1. How many ICPs can I receive a rebate for?
The maximum number of ICPs (power connection) you will be eligible to receive a rebate for is the number of active ICP’s you had with Trustpower, in the TECT district, on 28 January 2021, plus an additional five. So, if a customer had two ICPs on 28th January 2021, the maximum number they can ever receive a rebate for, is seven.
2. Can people outside Tauranga/Western Bay receive a rebate?
No, only Mercury/Contact customers in the TECT district are eligible to receive the rebate. See above for TECT boundaries.
3. Will Trustpower customers who signed up with Mercury or Contact after 28 January 2021 receive a rebate?
No, to be a TECT beneficiary, you must have been a Trustpower customer on 28 January 2021.
4. Will customers who switched from Trustpower to Mercury after 28 January 2021 receive a rebate?
Enter youTECT Beneficiaries who switched to Mercury prior to its purchase of Trustpower (on 1st May 2022) are not deemed beneficiaries during that period. They regain their beneficiary status from 1st May 2022 and will receive rebates for subsequent distributions where they meet the eligibility criteria.
5. Will Manawa Energy customers who received the rebate prior to the sale of Manawa to Contact Energy still receive a rebate?
Yes, provided you retain a power account with Contact Energy and meet the eligibility criteria.
6. What happens if I moved house during the qualifying periods? Will I still receive a TECT rebate?
It will depend on whether or not you re-connected with your power company in your new property (within the TECT area) and the length of time between moving properties. A maximum of 30 days between moves is allowed.
7. If I move away before the close off date, do I get a part payment?
No. To be eligible to receive the rebate you must have had an active power account continuously throughout the eligibility period. The eligibility periods are: July rebate: 1 October - 31 March, December rebate: 1 April - 30 September. There are no part payments.
8. Why do I need to provide my bank account details to receive the rebates when my power company already has them for my power account direct debit?
The bank account details held for the TECT rebates are separate to power account billing systems.
9. If we change our account name during the qualifying period, do we still get a rebate?
If you change the name on your power account during the qualifying period you will not be eligible for the rebate. Some exceptions apply, please contact our office on 07 578 5094 to find out more.
10. The account is in our landlord’s/body corporate name but we pay the bill. Do we receive the rebate?
The rebate is paid to the person or organisation named on the power account. This person(s) is liable to pay the bill and are therefore entitled to receive the rebate.
11. Do I need to provide TECT with my updated address and contact details?
No, payment information is provided to TECT by the appropriate power company at the time of the rebate distribution. As long as your information is correct with the power company, this is what will be received by TECT.
12. Can I have my rebate paid early?
No. The rebates are all processed in one batch and it's not possible to separate one out before this process occurs.
13. Do I have to pay tax on my rebate?
Rebates are a distribution of the trusts capital and therefore is not taxable to you. You do not need to declare this income and it should not be included in your tax return.
14. Can I get information about past rebates I have received?
TECT can provide information about previous years' rebates to beneficiaries, however a search fee may apply. Please contact the TECT team (07) 578 5094.
15. Do I have to declare the rebate as income for my local council rates rebate?
No.
16. How long do I have to query my entitlement to a rebate?
You have 12 months from the date of a previous distribution to query your entitlement to a rebate.
17. What happens if I close my bank account and forget to update my rebate payment information?
The direct credit will be rejected by your bank. Your rebate will then be paid to your power company to be credited to your power account.
Write to us
The Kollective
DX Box HP40007
Tauranga 3112
Visit us
The Kollective,
145 17th Avenue,
Tauranga, New Zealand
Phone us
07 578 5094
Email us
