The lines company Unison says it expects to have all Hawke's Bay properties reconnected to the grid by the end of tomorrow.
Lines workers right power poles on Wainui Road in Cheddar Valley in the Bay of Plenty. Photo: Leon Menzies
About 1200 households in rural Hawke's Bay are without power, but many are expected to be reconnected by nightfall.
A spokesman, Danny Gough, said a few hundred homes would spend a third night in the dark, but by tomorrow only a handful would remain unconnected.
"We've gotta get cranes in, bulldozers in some cases, we've got to get vegetation teams in to cut trees and things so it's really challenging and then once we can get a clear run we can replace assets that are broken and damaged and then we can get the power on."
Cyclone Cook caused landslips and brought down trees and power lines across much of the North Island when it hit on Thursday.
In Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki, fewer than 1000 people were still without power, but some of them may have to wait another three days.
Horizon Networks said more rain was forecast, which could cause further prolonged power outages, even for those who had been reconnected.
About 400 Gisborne properties are still awaiting reconnection.
Eastland Power said slips were hampering access and a few households may have to wait until Monday.