Figures from the Electricity Authority underline just how little growth there is in the electricity sector.
They show dozens of big electricity generating projects are not happening.
Only one project is being constructed and that has a capacity of just 7 megawatts.
Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
By contrast, projects with a capacity of 4200 hundred megawatts have received resource consent, but are not being built.
A further 300 megawatts are subject to consent hearings.
That makes 4500 megawatts, which is about half of New Zealand's entire existing capacity.
The figures include plants like the Rodney gas-fired power station which Genesis has already canned.
The figures come after recent studies that indicate another big station will not be needed for years.
This is partly due to growing efficiency, which has seen the rate of electricity consumption growing far slower than the economy overall.
It is also due to the question mark hanging over the Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter.
This uses about one seventh of New Zealand's total electricity, and it could shut down in 2017.
The company has been complaining for months that it pays too much for its electricity, and a statement on its future is expected at the end of this month.
If it shuts, New Zealand will be flooded with surplus electricity.
On the other hand, any growth in electric cars could restore growth to the power sector.
Electric cars are widely regarded as vital if greenhouse gas emissions are to be curbed, but growth in this sector is expected to be slow.
