Otago will play two twenty20 games under lights at the University Oval in early November.
Sky television's desire to broadcast cricket games during a ''gap'' in November, and New Zealand Cricket's willingness to provide it with product, means the HRV Cup will feature four Friday night-Saturday night double-headers played during the prime viewing hours from 7pm to 10pm.
Otago had to play a home fixture in Hamilton last summer because there were no lights at the University Oval.
But the association will not miss out this season. It is partnering with Sky and NZC to secure temporary lights for Otago's twenty20 matches against Canterbury and Northern Districts on November 8 and November 9 respectively.
Canterbury will use the lights a week earlier and is sharing some of the costs.
''I think it is exciting for the University Oval,'' Otago Cricket chief executive Ross Dykes said.
''I think night cricket is something that is going to increase rather than remain static so we have to keep pace.''
Dykes said he had received ''strong assurances'' the luminosity would meet ICC standards.
The other big news for Otago cricket fans is the return of Molyneux Park to the domestic schedule. Otago will play Auckland in a twenty20 match at that venue on December 27.
Alexandra last hosted the Volts in December 2010 but the match was abandoned without a ball bowled because of poor weather.
Dykes said the ground's warrant of fitness had been suspended following poor reports on the state of the pitch. But he was confident the pitch was up to standard under new groundsman Andrew Douglas.
The HRV Cup will take a break at the end of November and will resume on December 27 with the final scheduled for Seddon Park, in Hamilton, regardless of who qualifies, on January 18.
The Plunket Shield gets under way on October 27 with Wellington hosting Otago at the Basin Reserve. The four-day tournament will be interrupted when the HRV Cup is in full flight during late December and most of January.
Otago will resume its first-class campaign on January 23 against Canterbury at the University Oval. The last round begins on February 23.
The province has not won the first-class title since 1987-88 but came close last season, finishing second.
The one-day competition starts on March 2 with the finals on April 5.
