Roads Busy, Crews Busier

NETWORK SUMMARY for week ending 8 December 2013
ELECTRICITY

The roads are getting busier in the lead up to Christmas and so are our crews. There were two car v pillar incidents in Kohimarama and Pahurehure, three car v pole incidents in Henderson, Orewa and Mangere, and unusually, a car v shop in Remuera.

Trees interfered with power lines in Manurewa and in Royal Oak. Treescape trimmed the trees, providing clearance to our lines and making it safe for customers.

Our crews were called out to isolate the power at a building in Queen Street in Auckland’s CBD after it was affected by fire. Over on Waiheke, our crews responded quickly to isolate the power at a supermarket on the island that had been damaged by a large fire.

GAS

A smell of gas was reported in Gisborne but there were no traces of gas found when we attended the scene. At Pinehill on Auckland’s North Shore, contractors struck a gas pipe as they carried out work. Contractors working in Blockhouse Bay also struck a gas pipe which required repair work and a customer in Henderson discovered his hot water unit had been stolen off the wall - our crews isolated the gas supply and capped the open end.

PROJECTS

A major upgrade of Remote Terminal Units (RTU’s) at five key substations starts next week. An RTU is a key communication device that links a substation to our control room’s supervisory and control system (SCADA). Over the next six months, substations in Wairau, Helensville, Wellsford, Albany (Transpower) and Henderson (Transpower) will be upgraded with new equipment. The new technology will provide faster and more comprehensive data communication between the substations and Vector’s control room at Head Office in Newmarket.

SHORTS

• Vector owns over 17,800 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.

ends

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