Unison continues working to restore power following wild winds

Unison crews have been working hard to assess damage and restore power to customers following winds that hit near-record-breaking speeds in Hawke’s Bay. 

Unison Acting General Manager Network and Operations, Gaganpreet Chadha, said over 7700 customers had been impacted by outages since the wind picked up on Sunday, and small pockets of customers remain without power. 

“Just over 400 customers remain without power on Unison’s network in Hawke’s Bay, and we should be able to restore power to a further 200 by the end of today. 

“Unfortunately, there are parts of the network that have either suffered extensive damage or are more difficult to access, particularly in areas of northern Hawke’s Bay, Crownthorpe, and Maraekakaho. This means it is unlikely crews will be able to complete restorations in these areas safely before nightfall, but crews will be on site tomorrow morning to complete restoration repairs.  

“We understand the inconvenience and the impact of being without power and are doing all we can to repair the network and restore customers as quickly as we can.  

“In weather like this, the safety of our crews is a priority. We appreciate our customers’ patience as we work to safely reconnect those who experience outages.” 

Unison is advising customers to ensure they are prepared for power outages. Should the power go out, report it to 0800 2 UNISON (0800 2 86476) or online at www.unison.co.nz/outages and take the following safety precautions: 

• Check for fallen or damaged power lines. Never touch wires or lines lying on the ground, hanging from poles, or objects such as trees that may be touching them. Fallen lines or wires may still be carrying an electrical current and could shock, injure or even kill if touched. 
• Turn off the power at the main switch if you suspect any electrical damage in your home. If the power goes out, turn off all electrical appliances to prevent possible damage by a power surge when the electricity supply is restored. 

For more information on specific areas impacted by outages, please see Unison’s website (www.unison.co.nz) or Facebook page