Strong winds cut power

Media statement
3.30pm, 4 March 2014

Strong winds cut power

At 3.30pm power remains out to around 2,500 Orion customers, down from 7,000 earlier today, after gale-force winds caused trees and branches to fall through power lines. We advise those customers that are presently without power to prepare to be without electricity overnight.

Most customers without power are in the Banks Peninsula area.

“All of our crews are working as quickly and as safely as they can to restore power. The high winds, which are forecast to continue until tomorrow morning, are unfortunately hampering our repair efforts. The winds make it unsafe for our crews to repair some parts of our network. As you can imagine, we cannot put people into areas where there is a risk of trees falling on them. Safety always comes first”, says Orion Chief Executive, Rob Jamieson.

Orion urges anyone in Christchurch and central Canterbury who sees a fallen power line to stay well clear and call 0800 363 9898 immediately.

An update on the number of customers without power will be provided on the homepage of our website, www.oriongroup.co.nz, at 8.00pm and again tomorrow morning at 7.30am.

ENDS

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