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Aurora Energy has revealed how the two main power lines feeding Central Otago went down this morning leaving 8000 households and businesses without power.
General manager operations and network performance Matt Settle said two power lines fed the Central Otago network region, from Clyde to Ettrick and Lauder Flat, from the national electricity grid at Clyde.
This morning one line had been taken out of service for scheduled maintenance at the request of Transpower when the second tripped out, Mr Settle said.
Fault response crews patrolled the lines but did not identify specific damage.
Investigations would continue to identify any intermittent issues and resolve them, he said.
All customers have had power restored.
The cut, which started just after 9am, had affected more than 8000 power users — 1030 around Clyde and 6949 around Alexandra, Aurora communications manager Lisa Gloag said this morning.
Townships and areas affected included Alexandra, Clyde, Cromwell Gorge, Fruitlands, Ida Valley, Omakau, Ophir, Roxburgh and St Bathans.
Alexandra rest homes Castlewood and Ranui had managed well with the power outage.
Facilities manager Leigh McLeod said power had been restored to the rest homes.
"Everything is back up and running here."
The rest homes had coped well with the outage, which had no effect on residents, she said.
She had communicated with family members of residents during the outage to keep them informed.
"We've got plans in place for major outages so that it has as little impact as possible on the residents."
Cromwell woman Helen Hucklebridge was at Dunstan Hospital for an x-ray and blood tests when the power went out.
“I was absolutely stripped off into my gown, the lady came to get me and the power went off, but they did [x-ray] me seeing I was there and all ready to go, they could do me on the portable machine,’’ Mrs Hucklebridge said.
“They were very good about it.’’
Cafe customers were left to search elsewhere for their morning fix as the power cut shut down the normal caffeine supply.
Cafe Rossi, in Alexandra, was left with full cabinets of food that would be given away after the power went out halfway through breakfast service.
Manager Krystal Scott said some of it was going to an early learning centre which was halfway through making food when the power shut off rather than it go to waste.
“We can only do so much, but it sucks with the sandwiches that were already made . . . but I'd rather give them away than chuck them out,’’ she said.
Ms Scott said she first thought something had blown in the cafe but quickly realised the outage impacted more than just the Tarbet St cafe.
“I look out and everyone's standing outside and “oh, oh, something's going down.’’ But I’m ok about it because there’s nothing we can do and sh.. happens.’’
After half an hour she made the call to close the cafe’s doors for the day rather than have four staff, including herself, sit around unable to work.
She said she was “a little bit worried’’ about the financial implications of closing for the day.
“[It’s] not good financially, but at the same time, what can we do about it? So I just take it on the shoulder.’’
The Alexandra Senior Citizens first monthly lunch of 2024 went ahead, in spite of the widespread power cut which forced some impromptu menu changes.
Co-ordinator Jo Ireland said the 30 people who attended the lunch were "a smaller group [than usual] but a lovely group".
She was very pleased as she had not expected many to come.
"We made do with what we could."
Those in attendance were thoroughly enjoying the food and several were plating up second helpings.
One woman said she was impressed at how organisers were able to change the menu following the power cut.