Hard work and a fair amount of perspiration saw the combined crews of MainPower restore power to Waiau yesterday – standing up more 40 than poles and reconnecting hundreds of homes and businesses to power.
Acting Chief Executive Damien Whiffen said the teams worked well together yesterday and are ready to tackle further restoration today.
“From nearly 1,000 customers without power at 4pm yesterday, we’re down to just over half that number this morning. We’ve got 14 crews on the ground today throughout the region, including our own teams and those who have pitched in to help.
“There are a few team members who have earned a rest today. We keep a close eye on the hours our staff are doing so we’re managing fatigue and making sure everyone is not only fit for work, but also looking after themselves. The next week or so of restoration is a bit of a marathon. We need everyone in tip top condition to get the network back into shape.”
Whiffen says the ‘long tail’ of the recovery includes areas that require significant work to repair and restore.
“We’ve got poles down in riverbanks and remote areas that need a fair bit of land remediation. We’re in contact with those customers that are likely to be without power for a number of days yet. Most are remote and well prepared, but we’re keeping them informed so they can make decisions about what they do over the next few days.”
The company is also keeping a close eye on weather due to come in over the next couple of days.
“We’re obviously not keen to see more high winds in the region, and we’re mindful of our communities who don’t need a repeat of the week. We’re quietly confident that we’ll get at least half of those remaining customers back on today, so we can head into the new week on an even keel.”
