Northpower responds to National Grid Emergency

Date: 23rd September 2009
Subject: Northpower responds to National Grid Emergency

Northlander’s may have noticed a widespread power outage lasting approximately 6 minutes at 9.20am this morning.

This was due to a major North Island power station losing output from three of its generators shortly after 9am this morning.

Transpower (who are responsible for ensuring there is sufficient generation to meet demand) requested North Island lines companies to reduce power consumption until additional power generation could be bought online.

We cooperated by initially disconnecting all hot water heating. However, to achieve the required power reduction (to avoid wide spread regional power outages in the North Island), it was also necessary for us to temporarily disconnect the electricity supply to several thousand homes and businesses in our Network while we manually prioritised power distribution to essential services and businesses, such as the hospital.

Transpower acted quickly to increase power supply to the North Island and advised lines companies to gradually increase their power consumption loads again. It took us approximately 1 hour to reinstate hot water heating and restore full power to our entire network. Power was fully restored by 11am this morning.

The National Grid emergency was quickly deflected by the prompt action of North Island lines companies working in conjunction with Transpower. It is likely the widespread power outages would have gone unnoticed by most Northpower consumers.

ENDS

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