Source: Radio New Zealand
Trees fell on power lines (file image). Supplied / Caleb Gordon
More than 300 homes in Wellington are still without power a week after being hit by a southerly storm.
Wellington Electricity said the extremely gusty nature of last week’s storm appeared to have made it extra damaging, and it was taking longer than expected to restore power.
The lines company apologised to the 260 customers across Wellington and Porirua, and 70 in the Hutt Valley, who have now gone without electricity for a week.
The number was down from the approximate 700 homes on Friday that still had no power, when Wellington Electricity said it would donate $10 to KidsCan Charitable Trust for every customer who wouldn’t be reconnected that day.
Have you been affected? Get in touch at: hamish.cardwell@rnz.co.nz
Wellington Electricity chief executive Greg Skelton said the sheer scale of the damage that fallen trees and windblown branches have caused meant they were behind schedule.
“From initial assessments we thought we were going to get power restored in the Hutt Valley on Saturday evening.
“However, in many jobs we discovered greater damage than we could initially see after trees were cleared and sites made safe to work at. It’s been very frustrating. As of this morning there are about 70 customers still without power in the Hutt Valley. We expect to get power restored to them today.”
He said power should be restored to the 260 homes across Wellington and Porirua by Tuesday night.
Some repairs would be temporary, requiring further work.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
