Power use peaks as icy weather continues

As the country shivered in more cold weather today, it was revealed the previous record for power usage had been passed and Rotorua had its coldest day in four decades.

Transpower said a new half-hour high for electricity demand was recorded, with 6630 megawatts used between 5.30pm and 6pm yesterday. This was up 2 percent on the previous half-hour record during a severe storm in August 2004.

The Upper North Island exceeded its previous peak by 5 per cent. Power companies were advised to cut water heating to conserve energy.

The temperature in the Dunedin suburb of Momona plunged to around minus seven degrees overnight and MetService issued a new weather warning this morning saying another cold southerly outbreak was on the way. Snow was expected over much of the Canterbury Plains again on Wednesday.

Parts of the south are yet to recover from last week's heavy snowfall and MetService said snow would lower to 100 to 200 metres during the
afternoon or evening tomorrow. Some places above 300 metres could receive 10-15cm in a six-hour period from mid afternoon.

In the Kaikouras, similar amounts could develop above 300 metres on Wednesday evening.

The maximum temperature of 5.9C in Rotorua yesterday was the lowest since at least 1964 and possibly since records began, Springfield weatherman Brian Holden said. The next lowest maximum daily temperature was recorded in June 1976 at 6.2C.

"This could be one of the coldest Junes we have ever had on record," he said.

The temperature in Auckland was 10C at noon today with a southerly wind making it feel colder, and a temperature of just 1C is forecast for tonight. The average maximum for late June is 14C and the minimum 9C.

Wellington was also 10C at midday and Christchurch just 4C.

Motorists heading to Napier along State Highway 5 got the best view yesterday as they waited for the road to be reopened. Snow closed the Desert Rd and State Highway 5 between Taupo and the State Highway 2 junction near Whirinaki. Southerlies of up to 65km/h were expected to hit Taupo today.

Around 200 homes in the North Island remained without power this morning.

Lines company Powerco said around 100 homes in Taranaki and another 100 in Tauranga are without electricity after crews worked through the night to fix lines downed by strong winds.

Spokesman Ross Dixon told National Radio that most homes should have power restored today, but that 50 homes in Taranaki may have to wait until tomorrow.

The Desert Road between Waiouru and Rangipo is closed by snow and ice, as is the Napier-Taihape Road, and SH48 near Whakapapa Village on Mt Ruapehu.

SH30 in the Waikato near Atiamuri has been closed by downed trees and debris.

MetService forecaster Mads Naeraa said the North Island should have a bit of a break today, but tomorrow there will be another southerly wind coming through.

Meanwhile electricity lines companies say fewer than 1800 Canterbury properties are still without power and expect most to be reconnected by the end of the week.

Yesterday Defence Force personnel assisting in the snowbound region pulled back to Burnham Military Camp.

Canterbury Civil Defence emergency management group planner Jon Mitchell said everything appeared to be "progressing positively" as the region slowly recovered from the week's paralysing icy blast.

More snow was forecast for already snow-covered areas about the middle of the week, but Mr Mitchell said latest MetService advice was that the chances of heavy snow in Canterbury from the fresh approaching southerly were "relatively low".

"We're still planning, though, just in case," he said.

- NEWSTALK ZB, DAILY POST (ROTORUA), HERALD ONLINE STAFF, NZPA