NZ sending help to Niue after power blackout

New Zealand will send an electrical engineer to Niue to help restore electricity to the South Pacific nation, which has been largely without power since a fire at the sole power station on Tuesday night.

NZAID spokeswoman Catrina McDiarmid said the engineer had worked in Niue previously and was confident he could fix one generator that suffered only smoke damage, and also replace the control panel and switch board, which were completely destroyed in the blaze.

"Secondly, we also want to send a replacement generator, but that weighs between four and five tonnes, so it's not feasible to send it on a commercial flight," Ms McDiarmid said today.

"We are looking at other options for getting it there."

The engineer could fly to Niue - which lies about 2400 kilometres north-east of New Zealand - tomorrow, but whether he did so depended on arrangements for the generator.

"He needs to be there to install it, so we need to coordinate that."

A spokesman from Niue Broadcasting Corporation said yesterday the atoll's 1720 residents were particularly concerned about water supply as the pumps were electric.

The reservoir supplies were only expected to last another one to two days.

Emergency generators were being used to provide power for essential services, including the island's hospital and the airport.

Niue is self-governing in association with New Zealand, and relies heavily on aid money from Wellington.

About 20,000 Nieueans live in New Zealand.

- NZPA