Transpower is calling on consumers in Christchurch, Rangiora and Kaiapoi to reduce electricity usage this evening to minimise the risk of power cuts.

The situation has occurred with electricity demand soaring because of unseasonable cold weather while a transformer at Islington substation is on planned outage.

Some examples of how residents can help are:

• Delay putting on a load of washing, using the dryer or dishwasher
• Delay charging electronic devices and electric vehicles
• Turn off heaters and lights in rooms that they are not using

Because it is a cold evening, Transpower is advising people to stay warm by continuing to heat the rooms they are using but asking them to consider turning down the temperature a degree or two.

Transpower is working with electricity lines companies MainPower and Orion to switch off controllable load such as hot water systems to reduce demand on the grid.

If this is not enough to balance the power system, along with consumers conserving power, then Transpower will need to ask lines companies to disconnect a small number of customers for a short time until peak demand is over, which is expected to be around 7pm.

Power cuts will be a last resort to keep the power grid secure and minimise the risk of cascade grid failure, which would result in extended outages for a much longer period.

© Scoop Media