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Wellington – Resilient Disaster Recovery for the Capital

Executive Summary

Wellington serves as the primary failover and disaster recovery destination for New Zealand, providing a geographically distinct alternative to Auckland. It is the logical choice for government agencies and enterprise firms requiring high-availability infrastructure and sovereign data protection within a high-renewable energy grid.

Wellington: At A Glance

FactorRating / DataNotes
Global Connectivity GradeAMultiple undersea links and redundant domestic fiber.
Direct Cloud On-Ramps0 – as of January 2026Nearest direct on-ramps are located in Auckland.
Power CostNZD $0.14/kWh – as of January 2026Competitive rates with a high renewable energy mix.
Disaster RiskLow (1.5/10) – as of January 2026Low overall risk with high seismic engineering focus.
Tax IncentivesNo – as of January 2026No sector-specific financial breaks currently available.
Sales Tax15% GST – as of January 2026Standard national goods and services tax.

Network & Connectivity Ecosystem

Wellington functions as a sophisticated interconnection point for the public sector and a growing technology scene.

Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality: Carrier count: over 15. The market maintains a diverse ecosystem of 15–20 domestic and regional carriers as of January 2026. This density provides the redundancy needed for high-stakes government and financial traffic.

Direct Cloud On-Ramps: 0, enabling access to 0 cloud regions. While direct on-ramps for AWS, Google Cloud (GCP), and Microsoft Azure are located in Auckland, Wellington operators use high-capacity wave services and private network interconnects to bridge the gap with minimal latency as of January 2026.

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): The Wellington Internet Exchange (WIX) enables efficient local peering and keeps domestic traffic from needing a round-trip to Auckland. This reduces transit costs for local providers and ensures better local performance.

Bare Metal: High-performance physical compute is available from providers like Hivelocity. These services offer physical isolation for predictable workloads that require dedicated resources as of January 2026.

Power Analysis

Wellington offers one of the cleanest power profiles in the region, making it a reliable choice for organizations with strict sustainability mandates.

Average Cost Of Power: Industrial electricity: NZD $0.14/kWh as of January 2026. The generation mix is approximately 82% renewable, relying heavily on hydro, geothermal, and wind energy. This pricing and green profile provide long-term operational stability and insulation from global fossil fuel price swings.

Power Grid Reliability: The local grid is purpose-built for the capital’s needs, featuring redundant paths and multi-substation support for the primary data center corridors. Reliability is consistent, meeting the standards expected of a national political and financial center.

Market Access, Business & Tax Climate

Wellington provides a stable, transparent business environment focused on high-stakes digital services and government operations.

Proximity To Key Business Districts: Data centers are positioned near the government precinct and the central business district. This proximity is vital for public sector agencies and financial institutions requiring low-latency access to their primary offices.

Regional Market Reach: Wellington is the gateway for the lower North Island and upper South Island. It serves as a logical staging ground for reaching nearly half of the New Zealand population with reliable service.

Tax Advantage For Data Centers: No specialized financial incentives exist for the industry in this market. The primary financial benefit is the operational efficiency found in a market with high renewable energy availability and reliable infrastructure.

Natural Disaster Risk

Wellington maintains an overall risk profile of Low (1.5/10) as of January 2026. This score reflects a managed environment where seismic considerations are the primary focus for facility engineering and site selection.

  • Earthquake: 6.0 – The most significant regional hazard, addressed through specialized building standards.
  • Tsunami: 5.4 – Regional risk managed through site elevation away from low-lying coastal areas.
  • Epidemic: 4.7 – A moderate consideration for operational continuity and remote management planning.
  • Coastal Flood: 4.4 – Risk is monitored and managed primarily for facilities near the harbor.
  • River Flood: 3.7 – Minimal impact on primary data center sites in the main industrial corridors.

Other natural hazards, such as tropical cyclones and drought, are considered minor or not listed for this metro area as of January 2026.

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