Storm power outage update Tuesday 4:30pm
Powerco crews will continue to work into the evening to restore power to customers in Wairarapa, following severe gale force winds that have battered the region today.
As of 4.30pm Tuesday, approximately 6,650 customers were without electricity, down from more than 10,200 customers earlier in the day.
“The severe winds have caused extensive damage to our network. Our teams are working in very challenging conditions, with multiple trees down across power lines and broken poles,” says Powerco Head of Network Operations, Mark Dunn.
The storm has affected large parts of the lower North Island, and ongoing high winds have made access and repair work particularly difficult.
"It’s been unsafe for our crews to even attempt to climb poles to make repairs in these winds. Unfortunately, due to the scale of the damage, some customers will remain without power overnight.
“We know how disruptive this is, and we truly appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers as our crews continue to get the power back on as quickly and safely as possible,” says Mark Dunn.
How customers can stay safe
If people see downed power lines, it’s important to:
- Stay at least 10m away from the lines and poles - that's about the length of a bus.
- Call 111 immediately or Powerco's emergency number, 0800 27 27 27.
- Downed lines should always be treated as live.
We respond 24/7 to lines down incidents on our electricity network. Learn more about what to do in an emergency here.
What to do in the event of an outage
If customers do experience an outage, they’re advised to report their outage by:
- Contacting their retailer (the company they pay their power bill to), or
- Using the report an outage form on Powerco’s website here.
Customers wanting information about power cuts can go to Powerco’s power outage webpage here or can contact their electricity retailer.
More tips on preparing for a power outage are available on Powerco’s website here.
