Blackout as Niue pleads for generator

Niue residents are afraid an over-committed New Zealand Defence Force might not be able to get a relief generator to the island before emergency power supplies fail.

The island lost its sole power station in a fire on Wednesday.

Premier Young Vivian has asked New Zealand to urgently buy a replacement generator. He was in Auckland when he learned of the latest crisis.

Acting Premier Sisa Pihiga told the Herald last night that all of the more than 500 houses on the island were without power, and generators powering essential services might not last much longer.

It was crucial the airport remained open for night flights from New Zealand, and the hospital only had power for crucial areas such as intensive care and operating theatres, he said.

The island's vital services are being propped up by five diesel or petrol-powered generators, but "they are for an emergency purpose, not as a permanent source of power".

Mr Vivian said Niue could not survive long without a replacement for the ageing generator - and Niue did not have the $500,000 that would cost.

"I think it is grovelling time again. Do you think I like grovelling? It is depressing for people to have to do that."

A New Zealand electrical engineer will travel to Niue to assist in restoring power supplies, but islanders might have to wait longer for a replacement generator to arrive.

NZ Aid spokeswoman Catrina McDiarmid said yesterday the engineer - who had worked on the island before - was the only person who could do the repair work.

He was expected to leave for Niue by week's end, and was likely to remain there to install a replacement generator when it arrived from New Zealand.

Staff at the Trentham-based Joint Force Headquarters would decide today whether it had "air assets" available to fly the generator to Niue, said Ms McDiarmid.

If the Defence Force could not help, the generator would probably be sent by ship to Niue - a four-day voyage.

- additional reporting John Andrews