New Zealand

Transpower working on permanent fix for Northland's electricity following Cyclone Gabrielle

09:38 am on 10 April 2023

Photo: 123RF

Electricity network operator Transpower says it's working on a permanent fix to high-voltage line problems in Te Tai Tokerau.

When Cyclone Gabrielle hit in February, it left Northland reliant on just one single 220kV line supplying electricity.

Households were asked to take precautions and have barbecues ready, and make sure electronic devices were charged.

A slip had also affected two transmission towers near Warkworth, north of Auckland.

After two months of work, Transpower said it has moved two circuits.

Grid delivery manager Mark Ryall said that has vastly reduced the risk of power cuts in Te Tai Tokerau - and the towers are very strong and robust.

But he said Transpower was still doing final agreements with landowners, to make the new locations permanent.

"These towers are very strong and as robust as a permanent solution, but we need to work through putting them on the final arrangement, agreeing those corridors with the landowners and that will restore everything back to exactly how it was prior to Cyclone Gabrielle."

Ryall said the workload had been huge, and logistically difficult for 40 workers.

"[It's a] remote area where we needed to build in significant access tracks to enable plant to get in. It's very up and down and hilly, very long spans and big towers. So a massive effort from our electrics crews and also from our design consultant."