Western Springs principal fuming over second power outage this term

Auckland Zoo's power has been restored after a cut this morning but it was to remain closed for the rest of the day. Photo / Jason Oxenham

An Auckland college principal is furious after power was cut this morning, disrupting class, for the second time this term.

Both Western Springs College and Auckland Zoo had their power totally cut off around 9.30am after a truck struck a power pole.

The zoo's power has since been restored but it would remain closed for the rest of the day.

It had earlier tweeted "all our staff and animals are safe".

Western Springs College principal Ivan Davis told the Herald they were told by the power company Vector that electricity would not be restored until at least 6pm today.

He says the decision was made to alert parents that the school would close after morning tea at 11.15am. However, power came back on just 15 minutes later.

Davis says he then pulled the alert to parents, telling them they would remain open.

Earlier in the term, he says it was a pole fuse that cut power. Again, he says, Vector told them they would need to close for the day but electricity was restored in under two hours.

Two hours is the maximum amount of time that the college's staff and students are allowed to stay on site without power.

Davis says if this happens again in the near future, they will be waiting until closer to the two-hour mark before deciding it was necessary to close.

The school has 1458 students on its roll.