The energy companies act mandated that all the local power boards had to become profitable companies. Some are now owned by the power consumers (unison in hawkes bay, vector etc) but there are some lines companies were sold off to private owners.
Wellington Electricity for example is owned by the chinese and so the commerce commission has to apply the same style of fines/punishment to all of them, no matter who their owners are. If WE did the same thing, wellington consumers would want WE's shareholders to be punished.
Vector being consumer owned is probably not something the commerce commission can consider - however the vector board still have to answer to those owners no matter who they are and as a result the dividend payout will be slightly less this year.
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