Lower Electricity Demand Due to “Sprinter” (Spring/Winter)

Peak electricity demand has been lower in the latter part of this August than at same time last year.

Peak demand was averaging 1400 MW this month, compared to 1500 MW last August – largely due to the much warmer temperatures experienced this month.

WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan says temperatures in Auckland and around the North Island were usually around 15C in August, but had been getting up to 18C, 19C and the early 20s.

Plants were flowering in the middle of winter, which should have been flowering in the middle of September.

MetService says the country can look forward to a fine start to spring next week.

A huge anticyclone was on the cards for the last day of August - signalling a fine day for the first day of September.

NETWORK SUMMARY for week ending 25 August 2013

ELECTRICITY

There were eight car vs pole incidents over the course of the week. A pillar had to be replaced in Manurewa and two poles replaced – one in Hillsborough and one in Mangere.

Lines were repaired in Te Arai Point after they came down in stormy weather and in Papatoetoe, our crews worked on a fault which had caused a power outage to a small number of people in the area. Lines were repaired and power restored within several hours.

There were two overhead line contact incidents in Auckland this week. Both cases were caused by over height vehicles.

Crews were called out to six building fires to isolate electricity for the Fire Service so they could gain safe entrance to the properties.

In Grey Lynn a transformer enclosure door was found open and electrical equipment exposed. Repairs were made quickly and there was no disruption to power.

GAS TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION

A smell of gas was reported in Matamata, along with three third party contractor incidents in Auckland’s CBD, Milford and Beachhaven.

PROJECTS

Vector will soon begin major works in the Flatbush area to prepare for a large scale development, which will see more than 40,000 people living there by the end of 2015.

Our works, which will take around two years, at a cost of $18 million, will take place along six kilometres of roads including major arterial routes in the area – Chapel and Ormiston Roads and Te Rakau Drive.

The works will include trenching, cabling and the building of a new architecturally designed substation.

SHORTS

· Vector owns over 17,737 kilometres of overhead and underground lines in the greater Auckland area, and 12,752 of gas pipe lines, almost half of which supply gas to Auckland.

· Vector, proud sponsor of the Arena.

Vector owns and manages a unique portfolio which consists of electricity distribution, gas transmission and distribution, electricity and gas metering installations and data management services, natural gas and LPG and fibre optic networks.

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