BUZZ-New Zealand's power companies rise on power supply deal with New Zealand aluminium smelter

** New Zealand power companies Contact Energy Ltd (NZSE: CEN.NZ - news) , Meridian Energy (Berlin: 15M1.BE - news) and Genesis Energy (Stuttgart: 1G6.SG - news) rise between 3.2 pct and 6.7 pct

** Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) of Meridian hit the highest since May 13

** Meridian signs power supply contract with Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO.L - news) 's New Zealand aluminium smelter, which would keep the plant open at least for another 3 years

** Under a revised contract, Meridian to supply all the power required by New Zealand Aluminium Smeleters Ltd (NZAS) to operate at full capacity

** Meridian also signs contracts to get some of the smelter's future power supply from Contact Energy and Genesis Energy

** The deal has eased fears of a potential glut of power in the market

** The NZSX Energy Group Index up as much as 3.3 pct, highest since June 8 (Reuters Messaging: anusha.r.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)