The unusual maneuver requires a level of cash and savvy that few mega-dealmakers could ever offer.

Power has now been restored to thousands of Auckland homes after an outage earlier this evening left them in the dark as stormy weather batters the city.

If I were running Mercury, I'd regard people like myself as perfect customers, writes Brian Rudman.

Call me a Luddite, but I don't want a "smart" electricity meter installed at home, and certainly not without my knowledge or consent.

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.

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.

Some Auckland residents were without hot water until late this morning following yet another fault with Vector’s electricity network.

An investigation into the substation fire which cut power to tens of thousands of Aucklanders will be jointly carried out by Transpower and Vector.

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.

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.

The NZ Transport Agency said was currently heavy on the Northern Motorway into the city, due to the flow on effects from yesterday's powercut.

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.