Power cut details are available online now at www.powerco.co.nz
Friday, 17 December 2010
The popularity of mobile phones with internet browsing capability has promoted Powerco to publish details of all high voltage network power cuts, both planned and unplanned, on the Company website.
Powerco Corporate Affairs Manager Neil Holdom said many customers had asked about getting direct access to power cut information from Powerco in the past, particularly farmers and businesses based in rural areas.
“We have had the technology to publish power cut information on our website for years but felt it would not be very useful to people experiencing unplanned power cuts because their computers would not work. Now that a large number of people have cell phones with internet capability we have updated our website and will be publishing and regularly updating key information for customers about power cuts.”
The information published on Powerco’s website is the most up-to-date information available and essentially the same data Powerco provides to electricity retailers who are the primary contact for customers.
“Details available on the site will include the time power went off, the areas affected, the cause of the power cut (if known) and the estimated restoration time.”
Powerco suggests that customers with internet-capable mobile phones concerned about unplanned power cuts check out the website and save the ‘Outages and Faults’ page to their internet favourites for use if there is an unplanned power cut.
“We realise that many rural customers do not have a high quality of cell phone coverage so this is not going to work for everyone and people still have the option of calling their electricity retailer for the latest updates.
“However the website changes will provide an improved service to a significant number of customers and media organisations and reflects our focus on delivering a safe and reliable service for customers along with provision of timely and accurate information,” Mr Holdom said.
Powerco reminds people to treat all power lines as live at all times no matter what information they see on the Company website.
Powerco’s website is www.powerco.co.nz and the Outages and Faults page is
www.powerco.co.nz/Outages-and-Faults/
Powerco is New Zealand’s second largest electricity and gas distribution utility with around 420,000 consumers connected to its networks. Powerco’s electricity networks are in Tauranga, Thames, Coromandel, Eastern and Southern Waikato, Taranaki, Wanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu and the Wairarapa. Its gas pipeline networks are in Taranaki, Hutt Valley, Porirua, Wellington, Horowhenua, Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay.
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