Covid 19 coronavirus: Auckland power outages postponed as working and learning from home continues

Aucklanders not happy with planned power outages over level 3 lockdown. Photo / iStock

Vector is postponing planned power outages around Auckland, including in Papatoetoe, as many families continue to work and learn from home during alert level 3.

It comes after a number of complaints from Aucklanders including residents in rural areas.

Since the Herald reported on the concerns of Mt Eden residents who yesterday questioned why Vector was going ahead with maintenance during level 3 lockdown when they were forced to work from home other Aucklanders facing the same problem came forward.

This morning Vector said it would continue working where there was an urgent safety or reliability issue but understood the impact on customers and would review the upcoming projects that required planned outages.

"We are reviewing our jobs constantly to make sure we're doing everything we can to balance customers' needs, with the safety and reliability of our network," Vector's Head of Field Services Marko Simunac said.

"As a result, work that has been notified to customers may change, and we will do our best to keep our customers informed.

Areas such as Glendowie, Mount Roskill, Torbay, Mount Wellington, and Papatoetoe were all subjected to a power outage, with residents saying it was an inconvenience to people working from home and with children.

A Mount Roskill resident said they reached out to Vector after a planned power outage was set for Monday March 1 to which Vector said it would be postponed.

"Vector said they would not proceed with the outage but they did," they said.

"They had postponed the outage three times in the last three to four months when there was no lockdown.

"For them to do this when everyone is struggling to deal with lockdown is poor planning and time management of a large company like Vector."

One mother said the internet was the least of her concerns because they were on tank water so when the house lost power, it lost water.

"We all complained to the Auckland Council and Vector. Losing water is far worse than the internet, obviously, for hygiene reasons," she said.

Another mother told the Herald that Vector conducted a power outage for the wider Kaukapakapa area during the last level 3 lockdown.

"I contacted them to point out that in rural communities, no power means no water and no ability to flush toilets.

"I informed them that we were asked to stay home but my neighbours sent their three kids to their grandmother due to this bathroom issue.

"I contacted our local MP and he contacted them and was told they couldn't change it as it was critical. Why couldn't it have been deferred for a few days?"

Simunac said the sudden return of alert level 3 lockdown made everything challenging.

"We know it is a difficult and stressful time and we will do our very best to minimise the impact of planned, essential work which cannot be delayed and which requires the power to go off for our customers."

Vector's Outage Centre shows current and planned power outages and is frequently updated.

It is accessible at vector.co.nz/outages.