The Government has made security of supply a priority for the Electricity Commission.

Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee today released a Government Policy Statement (GPS) setting out a revised set of objectives and outcomes the Government wants to see achieved.

"The changes are designed to reflect the Government's policies, and particularly its desire to accelerate prudent grid investment," he said.

"An important feature of the GPS is bringing forward the section that emphasises security of supply."

Mr Brownlee said the Government also wanted to disentangle the regulatory overlap between the Electricity Commission, Transpower and the Commerce Commission but getting that right would take some time and the GPS was an interim measure.

He said the GPS would introduce a streamlined, simplified process for transmission investments under $20 million in value.

"This will save time and cost and speed up important upgrade work," Mr Brownlee said.

"The regulatory function of the Electricity Commission was identified at the Jobs Summit by many sectors as delaying transmission investment and being a blockage to both infrastructure investment and expansion of jobs."

Other changes to the GPS reflect the Government's intention to review the New Zealand Energy Strategy and assess any duplication with the Energy and Efficiency Conservation Strategy.