Vector is asking Aucklanders to prepare for the possibility of power cuts as poor weather is forecast for the region.
MetService is warning of strong winds for the rest of this week. Sustained winds and heavy rain bring the potential to cause power cuts due to trees falling on lines, particularly after long dry spells.
As a precaution, additional response crews and storm management teams have been rostered on and are ready to respond quickly if required. 
 
Vector’s Head of Network Field Services, Marko Simunac says, “Spring weather is very unpredictable, so we want to make sure Aucklanders are prepared should outages occur. If strong winds cause damage to power lines, we’ll aim to restore power as quickly as we can, while ensuring the safety of our crews and the public. This means that we may need to remotely shut down power to that area as a public safety precaution until crews arrive on site.
 
“Although our crews are trained to work in all weather conditions and at any hour, there may be circumstances during which it is unsafe for them to begin or continue working to fix outages, for example during high winds. We also wish to remind the public to stay well away from any damaged electrical equipment and report it to our outage centre on vector.co.nz/outages.
 
“We are asking Aucklanders to do their best to prepare by following the checklist below and ensuring their devices and power banks are fully charged today, particularly those students preparing for their end of year exams.”
 
If customers experience power cuts, they should use our Outage Centre to log a report and to monitor restoration progress: vector.co.nz/outages.
ENDS
 
STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO BE PREPARED
 

• Always stay away from fallen power lines or damaged electrical equipment.
• Watch out for falling tree branches as these can cause damage to power lines.
• Avoid possible damage to electrical appliances (in the unlikely event there is a power surge when the power is restored) by switching off appliances at the wall.
• Keep a torch and spare batteries handy and ensure that you have at least one telephone that does not rely on electricity for operation. 
• If you have one, ensure your electric vehicle is charged.
• Ensure that an alternate fuel is always available for cooking (e.g. gas for BBQ). 
  If you have an electric garage door, prepare how you can gain entry to the garage another way so you have access to your vehicle.