KEY POINTS:
Hydro storage levels are at 58 per cent of average, their worst since the 1992 electricity crisis.
Consumers could be three weeks away from being asked to cut back use if there is no rain, or sooner if a big station fails, a Wellington newspaper reported today.
Transpower chief executive Patrick Strange said the national grid operator remained concerned about storage levels after low inflows in the past fortnight.
"We are the lowest since 1992, but we are still well above 1992 levels."
In three weeks, if there was no rain or a big power station failed, Transpower would move beyond asking people to be prudent with power, Mr Strange said.
Storage is now lower than in 2003, the last time a public power savings campaign was carried out.
Today Transpower is introducing a website showing lake storage, water inflows and power demand.
With hydro levels falling, spot market electricity prices remain high. Last Thursday the daily average electricity spot market price at the North Island reference point of Haywards was up to 30.42c per kilowatt hour, from 14.87c a month ago and 6.36c a year ago.
- NZPA
