KEY POINTS:
With hydro storage at its lowest for this time of year since the 1992 power crisis, the electricity industry has launched a website to make it easy for the public to check supply details.
Called Winterpower Watch, the website comes from the Winter Power Group of five major power companies and Transpower that was set up to oversee electricity supplies this winter.
Group spokesman and Transpower chief executive Patrick Strange said the industry continued to ask the public to be prudent with their electricity use.
"Currently the lake levels are around 58 per cent of average, which is very low for this time of year," he said today.
"Inflows also remain very low in both islands. The weather front which brought snow to the South Island late last week, quickly turned southerly which brought very little rain to the key southern lakes."
In commentary on the website, Mr Strange said the country was heading into winter off the back of a significant summer drought in the North Island and low rainfall in the South Island.
At the same time, the electricity industry had been dealing with numerous technical issues, such as the forced retirement of New Plymouth power station because of asbestos contamination and limited transfer of energy across the Cook Strait link.
"The whole industry is reminding people to continue to be prudent with their electricity use," he said.
"There will be plenty of easy and practical tips to reduce your electricity use without reducing your safety, comfort or productivity, on this website."
The 50 tips on the website include old faithfuls such as turning appliances off at the wall, and turning the hot water down to 55degC.
It also suggests having a video night and inviting all your friends so there's only one house to heat, going to the big game instead of watching it on television, and going to stay with friends for the weekend.
At work it suggests holding "walking meetings" to keep warm, while staff should be encouraged to defrost food naturally instead of using the microwave.
To reduce demand on the hydro lakes, thermal power plants are being used as much as possible.
Larger users have also been reducing the amount of electricity they use, for example production from the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter has been cut by 10 per cent.
Visit Winter Power Watch at www.winterpower.co.nz
- NZPA
