Meridian chief executive Mark Binns said he was pleased Meridian had been confirmed in Budget 2013 as the next company to be listed.
''Today's announcement provides certainty for our company. We are well prepared and look forward to the opportunity,'' he said.
No figures were provided in the Budget but last year, the Government said it expected to earn $3.2 billion from a 49% sale and listing of Meridian.
Finance Minister Bill English said the Mighty River Power offer demonstrated that the Government's share offer programme worked. Mighty River Power raised $1.7 billion, which would be used to invest in hospitals, schools and other assets communities wanted and needed.
''Mighty River Power now has the benefits of greater access to capital, better monitoring and oversight and the market discipline that comes from being a listed company.''
Meridian would benefit from that same process and New Zealanders would once again have the opportunity to invest in the initial public offering (IPO) of a large New Zealand company, he said.
The Meridian partial float is expected to be the largest in New Zealand's history. The company generates electricity from renewable resources - wind and water in New Zealand; wind in Australia and solar in the United States.
