Govt Commits To Power-Aiding Niue

Niue’s power crisis may be nearly over.

The New Zealand Government has agreed to have an Air Force Hercules aircraft transport a replacement power generator, associated cables and installation engineers to Niue on Saturday.

Niue Premier Young Vivian said tonight he expected the new generator would be up and running in less than three days, meaning the island-wide power crisis would have lasted no more than a week.

He said Air New Zealand had also come to the party by agreeing to reschedule its weekly, overnight Auckland-Niue and return flight so that its 737 aircraft lands in daylight hours, about 8am on Saturday.

Niue was worried about the reliability of its Hanan International Airport runway lights working under emergency generator conditions and had pleaded with the airline to avoid night landings during the crisis.

Of New Zealand’s response to Niue’s situation, Mr Vivian said: “I am more than delighted. I am most grateful to the New Zealand Government for acting very quickly on this disaster and I also thank God for this.

“I will be trying to speak to Prime Minister Helen Clark tomorrow to say thank you.”

Mr Vivian, who has been in Auckland since his return from a conference in Japan, plans to return to Niue on Air New Zealand’s rescheduled flight.

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