KEY POINTS:
Power has been restored to Wellington after a cut left the entire CBD without electricity this morning, affecting 25,000 homes and businesses.
The power cut happened shortly after 7.30am and caused problems throughout the central business district, with some people stuck in lifts, central fire communications shift manager Murray Dunbar said.
Wellington Electricity Lines spokesman Damien Batey said the problem was caused by a fault with Transpower.
He said the power cut included Wellington Hospital but the hospital had its own back-up generator.
Mr Batey said power had been restored to parts of Island Bay and Newtown first and remaining areas were brought back online by 9.05am.
Transpower spokeswoman Adele Fitzpatrick said the cause of the power cut was due to a faulty relay in the Wilton substation that had a flow-on effect to other connected substations.
"Transpower is confident the issue has been resolved," Ms Fitzpatrick said.
She said the substations at Central Park and Kaiwharawhara went down.
Mr Batey said Wellington Electricity Lines and Transpower would be investigating.
- NZ HERALD STAFF & NZPA
