Power Restored for Some Rural Hawkes Bay Customers, Access and Snow Continues to Challenge Taupo Plains Restoration Efforts

Tuesday 9 August (10am) 2016

Hawke’s Bay Update:

Power has been restored to about 70 customers in parts of Rural Hawke’s Bay, Unison Networks has this morning advised.

“The crews undertook a huge first day on restoration efforts, which has seen about 70 customers now back on, mainly in the Tutira areas of Pohokura and Ridgemount, with smaller pockets of customers along SH5,” said Relationship Manager, Danny Gough.

He said based on progress to date the team was hopeful the majority of customers could be restored in a few days as initially predicted.

“As we dig through by foot though, we are uncovering more damage, so restoration will depend on how much more we find.”

Civil Defence advises it has carried out a welfare assessment and is activating a targeted response. It is also working with affected dairy farmers who are requiring power.

Customers affected are in the areas of Tutira (Pohokura/Ridgemount), Puketitiri, Esk Valley, Patoka, Tangoio and Otamauri.

Taupo Plains Update:

Unison Networks today advised that cross-country access continued to be the biggest challenge facing restoration response to around 200 customers without power in the Taupo Plains.

Relationship Manager, Danny Gough said snow was still over half a metre thick in some parts, where Unison’s network was most severely hit.

“Temperatures also hit around -5 in town overnight, which meant snow on the ground has now frozen. Black ice is now also threatening crew safety, and further inhibiting access.”

“With access continuing to constrain us, we cannot fully determine the extent of the damage. Our crews will today keep working in areas not too far from the road, as well as continue efforts to assess damage in remote areas.

“The area is fast, and the damage is significant. Poles are down, broken in parts, split and twisted. We have two helicopters carrying out further aerial assessments and our guys are tracking by foot, and by 4WD.”

Unison said it continued to liaise with Taupo District Council’s Civil Defence Emergency Management (TDC CDEM) team with their response efforts, which was focused on snow-clearing efforts and prioritising areas for access clearance.

Mr Gough said the Company was also regularly liaising with affected customers, as well as Federated Farmers, Dairy NZ and Rural Support Services who also continued to offer support to locals.

Unison has arranged a public meeting for customers at the Rangitaiki Tavern at midday today, 9 August.

ENDS

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