5.00pm, Monday 25 July 2011

Orion has now restored power to all but about 50 customers in Christchurch and central Canterbury after the snow storm which cut power to parts of the city and rural areas.

Pockets of Harewood, Spencerville, Tai Tapu and Little River remained without power as at 5pm. Orion crews will continue to work overnight, where access allows, to restore power to these areas. However, residents currently without power need to be prepared for a night without power.

Orion General Manager Commercial Rob Jamieson says access is difficult for lines crews in some areas due to heavy snow. "The crews will do what they can tonight to restore power, however our first priority is their safety while working in these extreme conditions," Mr Jamieson says.

Christchurch's eastern suburbs have experienced heavy snow falls today, however Orion's 66,000 volt overhead lines built in Dallington and New Brighton after the February earthquake have coped well to keep the power flowing to east Christchurch.

Orion is also confident that the network can cope with the extra load as heat pumps and other electric heaters keep residents warm during the storm.

If your power is not yet on, please prepare for a night without power - contact friends or family for help where necessary, or call the Government Helpline on 0800 779 997 for assistance and advice.

The Orion website gives details of current power outages, including areas affected and estimates for power restoration - see www.oriongroup.co.nz/outages.aspx. Orion also uses Twitter to send updates about the power supply situation in Christchurch and central Canterbury - see www.twitter.com/OrionNZ

ENDS

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