Cyclone Tam: Power restored to majority of 20,000 Auckland homes that lost electricity in storm

A surprise thunderstorm overnight saw thousands of Aucklanders left without power. Photo / Alex Burton

Power has been restored to thousands of Auckland residents who lost electricity in the surprise thunderstorm overnight.

Vector said at its peak, about 20,000 homes lost power in the severe weather event connected to Cyclone Tam. However, crews working throughout the night managed to restore electricity to the majority very quickly.

In its latest update this afternoon, Vector said 99.97% of households affected were now with electricity again.

“Crews are out again today checking for any hidden damage and in some spots, we might need to do emergency shutdowns to finish repairs safely.

“Thanks for bearing with us if that happens in your area,” the company said on Facebook.

Lightning striking the Sky Tower during the storm that hit Auckland. Photo / Vishal Umashankar

On its outages page on its website, Vector said some power outages remain because of significant damage.

The energy company shared photos of what its crews were faced with yesterday – downed powerlines and large trees fallen onto powerlines.

“As you’ll see...some of the damage is worse than we first thought. Fallen branches are tangled in lines and in some areas, the equipment is tough to access as a result of the damage.”

Arborists were among those helping on the ground.

“Last night’s lightning storm has caused further issues.

“We know how frustrating this is and appreciate your patience as we work hard to get everyone’s power back on.”

Residents whose areas are showing as power restored, but who are still without electricity, are being advised to contact Vector or log a fault via its outage centre, as secondary damage may require further repairs.

Anyone who uses medical equipment and therefore relies on electricity, is told to keep to your individual backup plan and to call 111 if needed.

“Some of these last faults are tricky and sometimes more damage shows up once crews start the work – so restoration times can change.

“We know it’s frustrating and we appreciate your patience.”

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