Vector Network News: 15 December 2014

Vector Network News: 15 December 2014

As homes and businesses across the country light up with the colours of the season this Christmas, Vector reminds customers to keep safety top of mind when powering decorations with electricity. By observing the following simple tips, customers can help ensure that their festive illuminations will remain vibrantly lit, and safe, throughout the season.

• Watch for lines and poles. Be sure to install decorations away from power poles and lines
• Don't overload. Don't overload wall outlets or extension cords. Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
• Take extra care outdoors. Only use lights and extension cords designed for outdoor use and keep electric connections above ground and out of areas where water may collect.
• Check for damaged wires. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets or repair them before using.

Whether indoors or out, holiday decorations can use a tremendous amount of energy. To save money and energy this season, customers may consider purchasing LED lights and other new technologies. Increasingly popular and widely available, LED decorations are much longer lasting and far less expensive to operate than traditional incandescent bulb decorations. Other energy efficient decoration options include pre-lit fibre optic Christmas trees and using timers to ensure lights are on only when someone is home to enjoy them.

NETWORK SUMMARY for week ending 12 December 2014
Auckland was again lashed by gale force winds and torrential rain on Sunday in what we hope will be the last of the storms for 2014. It has been a challenging year in terms of extreme weather. These events have become more frequent over the past 50 years and are predicted to become even more extreme.

Fire Service have seen their call outs rise steadily in the past 20 years from 1329 in 1994-95 to 4689 (despite a drop in fires). The increase has all been weather related.

Vector’s faults crews have been peerless in turning out in atrocious conditions to get power back on to customers.

ELECTRICITY
Trees and vegetation striking lines during the storm were the cause of lines down in Remuera, Te Hana, Wellsford (2), Redvale, Kaukapakapa, Kaipara Flats, Bethells Beach, Matakana, Waimauku, Murrays Bay, Tapora, Epsom and Silverdale. Our crews were called out by the Fire Service to isolate the power at two Auckland properties – one in Mt Wellington and the other in Stanmore Bay.

Car v pole incidents kept our crews busy in East Tamaki, Otara, Papakura, Manurewa, Manukau and Herne Bay as they made urgent repairs and replaced poles in order to restore power quickly.

About Vector
Vector owns over 18,000 kilometres of overhead and underground lines in the greater Auckland area, and 12,752 of gas pipe lines, almost half of which supply gas to Auckland.

Vector, proud sponsor of the Arena.

Vector owns and manages a unique portfolio which consists of electricity distribution, gas transmission and distribution, electricity and gas metering installations and data management services, natural gas and LPG and fibre optic networks.

Vector is listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange with ticker symbol VCT. Our majority shareholder, with voting rights of 75.4%, is the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust (AECT).

Vector is listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange with ticker symbol VCT. For further information, visit www.vector.co.nz

ENDS

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