Government backs off blackout blame

Around 700,000 people were affected by Monday's blackout. Picture / Martin Sykes.

The Government is trying to distance itself from taking the blame for Auckland's huge power cut and is pointing the finger at Transpower's investment record and maintenance.

Several senior Government figures yesterday deflected criticism for the embarrassing power failure.

And it also emerged that there are serious questions about the viability of a proposed remedy to the situation - a second substation.

Much of Auckland was plunged into chaos on Monday when an earth wire strung between power pylons in Otahuhu snapped and cut the supply of electricity for many hours.

The extent of the cut and the disruption it caused raised concerns at the highest level about Auckland's reliance on the Otahuhu substation.

Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday dismissed Opposition claims that the Resource Management Act was to blame for under-investment in the ageing national grid and subsequently the blackout.

In response to a barrage of questions in Parliament she conceded that if there was a need to change policy to fix the situation "that can be done".

"But it may be that Transpower needs to speed up some investment around the Otahuhu substation," Helen Clark said.

State-owned Enterprises Minister Trevor Mallard - who has responsibility for Transpower - went a step further by suggesting that poor maintenance could be to blame for the blackout.

The earth wire broke for one of two reasons, or a combination of both, Mr Mallard argued during a snap debate in the House.

"It might have been wind, it might have been poor maintenance. My view, Madam Speaker, is that in the end the investigation will show it was a combination of both."

Transpower has been under fire from political, business and civic leaders since the blackout.

Spokesman Chris Roberts last night defended the grid operator's maintenance record.

"It's possible that something was wrong with this line, but that doesn't mean it was a lack of maintenance."

Asked how Transpower viewed Mr Mallard's comments, Mr Roberts said "he's our shareholding minister, and as our owner I guess he can say what he likes about us".

As the fallout from the failure continued, National leader Don Brash asked how long Labour - which has been in power for more than 6 1/2 years - will be in office before it "actually starts delivering solutions".

Transpower has expressed its dissatisfaction with the RMA in several consecutive annual reports.

But Mr Roberts said those concerns had reduced after Government amendments to the controversial planning law last year.

Energy Minister David Parker has demanded that Transpower report to the Government within two weeks about the reasons for the power failure and possible remedies.

The Electricity Commission and Ministry of Economic Development have also been asked to supply reports as quickly as possible.

But one of the minister's own suggestions to remedy Auckland's reliance on the Otahuhu substation is already being questioned.

Mr Parker requested on Monday that Transpower look into building another substation in the area.

Transpower has reservations about the idea, which it says would cost "hundreds of millions" of dollars.

But it agreed yesterday to revisit the issue because the minister asked.

Electricity Commission chairman Roy Hemmingway also appeared to question the viability of Mr Parker's suggestion, saying if the chance of Monday's failure recurring was a one- in-50 years risk, it was probably not worth spending hundreds of millions of dollars to avoid it.

* Additional reporting: Martin Johnston