Power finally restored to parts of Hawke’s Bay

AFTER almost 21⁄2 weeks, power has been restored to Tutira in Hawke’s Bay.

The village 35km north of

Napier was left without power after Cyclone Gabrielle tore through the region, bringing down the main line connecting Tutira with power company Unison’s network.

Unison restored power to the rural community yesterday, and hopes to continue to reconnect the surrounding regions over the coming days, including to those in Waipatiki and Apley Rd.

Unison’s incident controller, Jason Larkin, said teams had been working ‘‘around the clock on emergency repairs to restore power to this rural community’’.

‘‘We understand how hard it has been for the Tutira community to be cut off and without power for more than two weeks.

‘‘We have had to think outside the square to find solutions, exploring all options and alternatives to get this job done,’’ Larkin said.

Due to repeated rain hampering access to Tutira by road, Unison was forced to complete its initial assessment of the site by air to understand the extent of the damage.

Repair plans were then put in place and completed as road access allowed.

Unison continues to use

Starlink as an emergency connection between Tutira and its Hastings Control Centre as local communication infrastructure remains hindered.

‘‘We are acutely aware of the impact that the loss of electricity has on all our communities and the livelihoods of businesses.

‘‘We are throwing all our resources at this hugely complex and challenging response,’’ Larkin said.

Unison is providing generation to more than 1000 customers to meet the essential welfare needs of isolated households who are unable to be reconnected to the network due to extensive cyclone damage.

As at midday yesterday, 1536 households were without power in Hawke’s Bay, 1379 in Hastings and 157 in Napier.

Unison asked that all customers conserve power where possible as Hawke’s Bay remains on a limited supply.

Medically dependant customers are advised to prepare for the likelihood of no power and make alternative arrangements in advance.