Power is gradually being restored to more than 20,000 homes and businesses in Gisborne tonight, after a 33-hour outage.
Some residents are enjoying the usual home comforts this evening after Eastland Network line mechanics completed repairs to one of the two circuits on the high-voltage lines which provide power to the area.
Both circuits suffered extreme damage after a top-dressing plane crashed into an 800m span of the lines yesterday morning. Most of the region's 40,000 residents have been without power ever since.
"Electricity began to be restored from about 5.30pm and the process will take between one and two hours. Please be patient if you see your neighbours' lights coming on before your own home has power," said general manager Brent Stewart.
Eastland Network will need to turn the power off again to make permanent repairs.
"To complete the repairs and ensure ongoing security of supply, we will need to interrupt the electricity supply again. We're currently working through plans to determine when this will happen and how long the outage will be when it does."
Mr Stewart said Eastland Network would make an announcement about this tomorrow.
"In the meantime, the advice we're giving is that if you have a generator in place you may want to disconnect it, but we suggest you do not return it hastily. Wait until we have made that announcement tomorrow."
He asked those living in Gisborne and the East Coast to keep themselves safe by continuing to treat all lines as live at all times.
"Electricity supply may be restored at any time."
Tairawhiti Civil Defence controller Patrick Willock praised the Civil Defence Emergency Management team and particularly the network team which completed a major job in getting power restored in difficult conditions and in a timely way.
"We know that the majority of the community has appreciated their work."
