Power grid under planned attack

By Eugene Bingham

A series of well-planned hits on the national grid has officials drawing up emergency plans to handle a possible plot by saboteurs to black out the electricity system.

Attacks on key power pylons across the South Island have caused jitters right the way to the Prime Minister's office, as officials ponder the worst in preparation for the September Apec meeting.

With world leaders gathering in Auckland, authorities are aware the international attention may prove a temptation for terrorists intent on grabbing some of the spotlight for their cause.

The Government is understood to have promised up to $1 million to ensure Auckland has enough back-up to prevent a repeat during Apec of last year's central business district blackouts, but problems elsewhere may be more difficult to contain.

A team of police in Christchurch, headed by Detective Inspector Brian Pearce, and security agents have been investigating the attacks on 10 pylons in mid-Canterbury since last June.

It is understood legs on pylons carrying power from the South Island to the North Island have been cut to make them likely to topple.

High-powered cutting equipment, generators and special knowledge would have been necessary, a source said last night.

"This is not someone pulling up and getting a hacksaw out of the boot."
Industry sources said the attacks had the potential to disrupt power to major cities and damage North Island power stations.

The new North Island combined-cycle, gas-turbine power stations, including Otahuhu B at Otara, would splutter if electricity from the South Island was cut, said an industry insider.

In the meantime, technicians would be trying to identify which pylon had collapsed and deal with the difficult problem of replacing it.

TransPower's general manager of service delivery, Kevin Mackey, said last night that supply would be interrupted but it would not be catastrophic.

"Assuming that the actual interisland link is taken out, one would be looking at a period of probably an hour," he said.

"One could expect some loss, because there would be a sudden loss of input in the North Island, but that would be compensated for by bringing on high-cost generation [from North Island stations]."

Mr Mackey said TransPower normally had contingencies in place for natural phenomena, such as storms.

"What this has done is cause us to hone contingency measures we normally have to ensure we're prepared for the worst."