Severe gales battering Taranaki have cut electricity to thousands of properties today, creating hazardous conditions that are delaying urgent network repairs.
Data released by electricity lines company Powerco revealed that 6,362 customers across the Taranaki province were without power at 11am on Friday. The wild weather has also caused smaller pockets of outages in neighbouring regions, with 142 customers affected in Manawatū and 134 without supply in Whanganui.
Additional field crews have been deployed across the region today, and repair work has commenced in areas where it is safe to do so. However, the persistent high winds are making it incredibly difficult for technicians to access overhead lines safely.
Powerco Network Operations Manager Mark Dunn stated that restoration efforts are likely to face ongoing delays as wind levels remain high throughout the day.
"With strong winds expected to continue throughout Friday, outage numbers may fluctuate as the weather continues to affect the network," Mr Dunn said.
Residents are being warned to prepare for prolonged power cuts while conditions remain unsafe for crews to work at height.
Powerco is reminding the public to treat all downed power lines as live and to maintain a safe distance of at least 10 metres from damaged poles or sagging wires. Outages can be tracked and reported via Powerco’s interactive online map, or residents can contact their specific electricity retailer for updates.
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