More than 5000 properties lost power during the outage.
More than 5000 properties lost power during the outage.
Power has been restored to about 5000 properties on the Coromandel Peninsula that lost supply overnight.
Properties between Oputere in the north and Whiritoa to the south lost electricity just after midnight.
PowerCo reported multiple outages across its network after the region was hit by heavy downpours just before 11pm on Sunday.
It confirmed power was restored by about 10.40am to more than 5000 customers who lost supply in and around the Whangamatā just after midnight.
Broken equipment caused the fault on the 33kV power line that supplies Whangamatā and surrounding areas from Waihi just after midnight during wet and windy weather.
The battery energy storage system (BESS) generator on the outskirts of Whangamatā supplied Whangamatā's central business district during the outage.
Powerco field crews were patrolling the main 33kV power line that supplies Whangamatā and surrounding areas for the fault early on Monday and reported, weather permitting, a helicopter would be used from first light to pinpoint the fault.
Powerco head of network operations Caz Haydon thanked customers in eastern Coromandel for their patience and understanding as crews worked to find the fault and then make repairs and restore supply.”
On Sunday, MetService warned of the potential for severe thunderstorms overnight and torrential downpours.
Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Gisborne were under severe thunderstorm watches until 7am today, while a heavy rain watch remained in force in Gisborne until 9am, according to the MetService website.
MetService forecaster Aidan Pyselman said the slow-moving low, currently draped across most of the Tasman Sea, was behind rainy conditions around the country over the past few days and was forecast to linger through much of the working week.
“Right now, it basically encompasses the whole of the Tasman Sea - its western flank is affecting the New South Wales coast - so it’s a big unit.”
