Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are part of a growing number of firms that are entering into power purchase agreements with wind farms.

A city-wide blackout left Dunedin streets in the dark for half an hour last night, as concerns are raised about the reliability of the city's street lighting.

I am the household manager - in part, because the other half isn't interested in assuming the role and in part because I like to know what's going on.

Power cuts are a part of life and Aucklanders should get used to it, says Vector chairman Michael Stiassny.

Vector says compensation from this month's power cuts - which affected 85,000 customers - won't be discussed until the cause of the fire that sparked them was known.

Power companies face a ban on so-called "save" calls, where they ring a customer departing for a rival and try to entice them back with a better offer.

Homeowners who install solar panels to cut their power bills are pushing up prices for everyone else, lines companies say.

Up to 80 per cent of Auckland electricity customers have signed contracts that allow their hot water to be cut off - but many were unaware until the blackouts.

About 200 customers remain without power after extreme weather damaged power lines in the central and lower North Island yesterday.

When the lights go out over a large part of a city the size of Auckland, questions must be asked. How did this happen? Who allowed it to happen? Whose head must roll?

Vector and Transpower will audit vital equipment at power substations in a bid to identify other potentially vulnerable or problem areas within Auckland's beleaguered electricity network.

More than 1000 properties remain without power after fierce winds lashed the lower North Island and brought down electricity lines yesterday.

Energy Minister Simon Bridges says he is confident that lines company Vector acted appropriately in the wake of the power cuts in Auckland.

Vector has warned recently restored power users to expect to be 'dropped' from the system during peak times today, as a former chairman criticises the company.

Parnell hotels were full up with families and people suffering with health issues, said hotel staff in the area.

Auckland suburbs that have been without power for more than a day and a half face a further delay until the lights come back on.

Power should be restored to all Auckland suburbs by 5am tomorrow, lines company Vector said.

Here we go again. Another power emergency in Auckland, a city that's building a reputation for them, writes Grant Bradley.

The reason so many people lost power yesterday is because the substation at Penrose is very old and supplies a disproportionate amount of power to a large area of the city, says an energy expert.

Investors in Genesis Energy, Mighty River Power and Meridian Energy were more than $600 million richer on paper at one point yesterday after their shares were boosted by National's decisive victory.

Since 2002 our electricity market has brought us price rises of 46 per cent above inflation. Why?

Back in 1999, Sam Morgan used a new technology - the internet - to change the way buyers and sellers connected with each other in New Zealand.

Power bills have been rising relentlessly. The two sides of politics are divided on house best to rein that in - competition or regulation.

Power was cut to about 900 homes in Mt Eden during tonight’s Bledisloe Test between the All Blacks and Australia.

New Zealand producers' input and output prices fell in the second quarter of this year as dairy prices declined.

Local govts and power companies are to blame for NZ's inflation rate being much higher than it should have been for the past 10 years, writes Bernard Hickey.

An Air New Zealand flight was struck by lightning two minutes before it was due to land in Auckland this morning.

Those in the industry have a nice phrase to describe the obfuscation involved in the pricing complexity of power bills: Elec-Trickery.

Susan Edmunds asked experts for their top power-saving tips to put more money in your pocket this winter.