Power outages due to snow worse than expected

13 June 2006

As Orion's line crews have gained access to previously inaccessible areas, they have discovered that the damage to power lines is greater than expected. Damage extends across most of the rural Central Canterbury region.

Orion has worked all day on repairing major high voltage feeder lines in rural areas and while some of these are now completed, many downstream lines feeding customers have also been found to be damaged.

It is expected that just under 3,000 customers will be without power in the Orion network region tonight. It is likely to take several days to complete repairs, with some very remote customers likely to be without power until after the weekend.

Orion has restored supply to approximately 500 rural customers today and the completed repairs to major lines will make restoration of power supplies quicker in the coming days.

For more information contact:

Rob Jamieson
General Manager Commercial
Phone 0274 324 367, 03 363 9793
Email rob.jamieson@oriongroup.co.nz