Strong winds played havoc with Aurora Energy’s aged network yesterday and cut electricity to more than 2000 customers across Otago.
In a media release, Aurora said 14 customers would likely remain without power overnight.
More than 1700 Aurora customers in Dunedin and Central Otago were affected by cuts at various times throughout the day.
Close to 500 customers of the other two networks in Otago also had power cuts.
The largest cuts on the Aurora network affected 519 customers in and around Roslyn, 417 customers in the Port Chalmers area and 250 customers in the Roxburgh East area.
Power had been restored to most customers by 5pm, but the company said it was likely it would remain out overnight to 14 customers in the Island Block, Millers Flat and Raes Junction areas.
"Lines crews have assessed the fault and concluded that it is unsafe to repair until trees have been removed and weather improves."
Power was expected to be restored to 103 customers in North Dunedin by 6pm.
A downed line caused a fire near Outram yesterday, damaging a tractor and hay shed and leaving more than 350 people in the area without power.
The Outram Volunteer Fire Brigade was called to a hay shed on fire on a farm in Maungatua Rd, Woodside, at 9.30am.
Brigade chief Stu Casey said the fallen line hit an electric fence and a fire started in a hay shed.
Former Delta worker Richard Healey said an insulator failing caused the 33kV line to come down, hitting an 11kV line as it did so.
This was a serious incident because it would have raised the voltage of the 11kV line to three times its usual voltage, potentially causing damage to houses and infrastructure further down the line.
The failed insulator was on a major line which runs from Waipori Falls to Halfway Bush. An aerial survey last month found one in three insulators on the line had failed, he said.
A Delta spokeswoman confirmed Mr Healey’s version of events, saying the line was switched back on after it was confirmed customers and the network were safe.
"The weather bomb has resulted in several faults across the network and Delta crews continue to respond and carry out repairs when safely possible," she said.
The incident in Maungatua Rd would be investigated, but Aurora was yet to receive the technical report from last month’s aerial survey.
The other two networks in Otago were also affected by high winds. Network Waitaki network manager David Paterson said about 200 customers were affected by cuts.
Most were caused by trees coming down over lines. By yesterday afternoon, power had been restored to the majority of those affected.
A PowerNet spokeswoman said 279 customers were affected on the OtagoNet network, which operates in Clutha, Maniototo and north of Dunedin.
The most significant outage cut power to 184 customers in the Owaka area for two and-a-half hours from just before 10am.
All the outages were caused by high winds and airborne debris.
