Firstlight Network

We're looking forward to supporting this workshop next week, with one of our Powerco team heading along to join in the conversation. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, check out the link below for more information and to register.

Some of our team went up the coast on Saturday to Whakarua Park to watch Ngāti Porou East Coast Hamoterangi take on King Country Trail Blazers.

While the result didn’t quite go our way this time, there was excellent support from the sidelines for the wahine and lots of supporters watching both women’s and men’s games.

We had a great time meeting people and enjoying the atmosphere (luckily the rain stayed away) so thank you to the union for the warm welcome. There’s something very special about grassroots rugby, it’s much more than what happens on the field, it’s about community, connection and getting behind your team.

Go well for next week NPEC Hamoterangi! 🏉🩵

Have you got a no-power plan?
Power outages can happen for a range of reasons, so it’s a good idea to think ahead about what you and your household would need if the power went off, even for a few hours.
A few simple things to have ready:
📱 Charge your devices and keep a power bank handy.
🔦 Keep a torch and spare batteries somewhere easy to find.
🫗 Have some emergency water available, including enough for your pets.
🔥 Think about how you’d prepare food without power - a BBQ or camping stove can be useful.
💊 If you rely on electricity for medical equipment, make sure your backup plan is up to date.
🔌 Protect sensitive electronics with surge protection.
🚗 Know how to manually open your garage door if the power is out.
🏠 Keep your emergency supplies together so you can easily find what you need.

A little preparation now can make an outage much easier to manage. 💙
And remember: if you see a fallen or damaged power line, stay well clear and report it to us. ⚡

🙋Thinking about switching power providers?
Meet Billy. The Electricity Authority has launched a new tool to help you check that you're on the right energy plan.
Grab a recent power bill and visit Billy: https://billy.govt.nz/start

⚡Power outage? Check our website for outage updates: https://firstlightnetwork.co.nz/tell-me-about/outages.
Or call our 24/7 fault line 0800 206 207 for the latest.

Kia ora to our customers in and around Raupunga.
Our crews have been working as quickly and safely as they can to restore power to your area after strong winds early this morning caused trees to go through lines.

We know it's particularly cold weather, so we have our emergency generator connected to reduce the impact on the customers affected until the permanent repairs can be completed tomorrow. So that we can manage the total capacity of the generator, customers in the area may be affected by rolling outages.

These outages will be for short durations of between 2-3 hours during the next 12-24 hours, as we alternate supply to ensure nobody is left without power for the entire period.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Keep up to date with outage information here on our website: https://firstlightnetwork.co.nz/tell-me-about/outages or call our faults line on 0800 206 207.

🪴We're growing together with Powerco, so what better way to celebrate this new chapter in our story than to plant a native tree at our Gisborne office.🪴

More than 80 people met for breakfast ahead of planting a kōwhai tree, marking a new chapter in electricity distribution in Tairāwhiti and Wairoa districts, as Firstlight Network and Powerco come together as one company.

As well as the tree planting, each person who attended the breakfast was given a potted seedling to mark the fact that the three companies were "growing together".

Learn more here: https://firstlightnetwork.co.nz/tell-me-about/firstlight-network/network-news/firstlight-network-and-powerco-growing-together-with-tree-planting

The intention is that Firstlight Network will eventually become Powerco – including the name – however this process is likely to take some months. This is because Firstlight Network and Powerco have very different outage control technology and data systems to operate their respective electricity networks.

Find out more about the transition and what it means for Firstlight Network customers here: https://firstlightnetwork.co.nz/tell-me-about/firstlight-network/network-news/business-as-usual-for-firstlight-network-under-new-ownership

You may remember that back in October last year Clarus, who were the owners of Firstlight Network, agreed to sell their part of the business to Powerco.

With approval from the Overseas Investment Office and other commercial considerations now being met, we can confirm that the transaction took place today, Friday 31 July.

What does it mean for Firstlight Network customers and communities?
It’s business as usual for the electricity lines company that serves the people of Tairāwhiti and Wairoa, who will continue to be looked after by the team at Firstlight Network, supported by the wider Powerco team.

Learn more in the link👇🏼:

Business as usual for Firstlight Network under new ownership North Island energy distributor, Powerco, is the new owner of Firstlight Network, the company that supplies electricity to Tairāwhiti and Wairoa. The transaction took place on 31 July 2026. Like with any change, we understand you may be uncertain and have questions. For that reason, w...

⚠️ Outage Update
⏰Friday, 10 July 7:20pm

Due to the weather, we have unplanned outages and power will be off overnight in these areas - Kanakanaia Rd, Waingake Rd, Tarewa Rd, Paparatu Rd, Bushy Knoll Rd, Waimata Valley Rd,, start of Cricklewood Rd and Patunamu. We hope to have power restored in Te Reinga tonight.

The Raupunga, Mohaka, Kotomoari, Waihua areas have had significant damage from trees through lines in multiple locations that require replacement poles to be flown in to undertake repairs. Access to these areas is extremely difficult due the weather and poor conditions. Some of these areas maybe without power for up to 48 hours.

📞For updates, please visit https://firstlightnetwork.co.nz/tell-me-about/outagescontact or you can contact our faults line on 0800 206 207. See less