Snow affects power supply to inland Canterbury

Electricity lines company, Orion has restored power to about 3000 inland Canterbury customers today but about 1500 customers are likely to remain without power overnight.

"Most of the outages have been caused by the build-up of snow and ice on lines and tree branches being weighted down on our lines," said Orion Operations Manager, Stu Kilduff.

"Repair crews have been working in difficult conditions today and we'll have all available people on the job again tomorrow.

"The snow has affected inland Canterbury west of the Greendale and Darfield areas. Because of limited access we're not yet sure of the extent of the damage in remote parts of our network like Lake Coleridge and Castle Hill."

Mr Kilduff said the snow storm was a timely reminder to landowners to maintain trees well clear of overhead lines. "These outages have a significant impact in rural communities and many can be avoided by better tree planting and maintenance."
If your power is off please prepare for a night without power. Wrap up warmly and contact friends and family for help where necessary.

Stay clear of any fallen power lines and treat them as live at all times. To report lines down call Orion on 03 363 9898 or 0800 363 9898.

ENDS

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