$50 up for grabs for power users

Picture / Richard Robinson

Muhammad Mulla, 7, does his bit to keep his family's Garnet Dairy open during a power cut in central Auckland on Monday night.

Hundreds of power users are due for a $50 payout after the blackout left 7500 consumers without electricity.

Power to the suburbs of Grey Lynn, Western Springs, Pt Chevalier and Mt Albert was cut around 6.45pm, with some homes without electricity for three hours.

The "Vector Promise" says if power is out for more than 2 1/2 hours, customers get $50.

Vector spokeswoman Charlene White said the blackout was caused by the failure of an underground cable.

One of the two Vector transformers in Pt Chevalier had been taken out of service for maintenance, leaving the other to service the area.

While this sole transformer was being used, there was a fault in one of its underground cables.

Vector said more than half of the customers had power back on within 90 minutes.

* To claim your Vector payment call 303-0626.