PowerNet

Yay, power should be restored for Otatara residents now. Thanks for your patience and efforts to conserve power. And thanks to our crews who have worked hard to complete repairs.

UPDATE 5.56pm: A few more people may now be without power as additional feeders have had to be turned off. Usage is still rising and further reductions may need to be made if the system comes under too much pressure. Please be extremely conscious of your usage so we can maintain power to as many as possible. Thank you.

Power outage UPDATE: Thanks for your patience while our crews work to repair equipment damaged by a vehicle accident earlier today. The repair is going to take some time and those without power can expect to remain without power for several more hours.

WIDER OTATARA AREA - For those with power, please be aware the system is under some pressure while the repairs are carried out. PLEASE conserve power where you can tonight - avoid using unnecessary appliances. This will help us ensure the load can be maintained and further properties will not need to lose power. We'll be monitoring the situation closely and appreciate your patience as the crews work to repair the damage.

We're aware of a power outage in the Invercargill Airport, New River area. It's not affecting the airport but will be impacting properties around this area. The outage is the result of a vehicle striking a pole and could take several hours to repair, so hunker down and stay warm if you are without power - our crews are working on it. 😀

Exciting news! 🏆🏆🏆

PowerNet has been named a finalist in the Energy Distributor of the Year category at the 2026 New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards.

The national awards recognise achievement across Aotearoa New Zealand’s energy sector, celebrating organisations and initiatives contributing to a more resilient, sustainable and customer-focused energy system.

Our entry tells the story of a year that tested every part of our business, with the October 2025 storm the most significant outage event in our operational history.

PowerNet Chief Executive Paul Blue said to be recognised as a finalist is a credit to everyone who helped restore power safely, supported our customers, and then turned those lessons into practical improvements for the future.

Winners will be announced in Wellington on 19 August.

We celebrated an exciting milestone this week, with a new electricity distribution network at Hamilton's Ruakura Superhub going live. PowerNet has responsibility for managing the new network which was connected early this week and celebrated with a moving ceremony and karakia. Find out more at https://powernet.co.nz/2026/06/11/new-network-an-exciting-opportunity-for-powernet/

🌞🌞🌞 Like all businesses, we're focused on finding efficiencies and ensuring future resilience. We're keen to make the most of the sun in the south (our best kept secret) so we've been installing solar panels on our offices in Balclutha and Invercargill. You can read all about it here https://powernet.co.nz/2026/06/10/powernet-invests-in-solar-to-cut-emissions/

Thanks to the team from Infinite Energy NZ who braved some pretty brutal conditions during the installation - the blue sky is a bit deceiving; it was a fleeting moment on Monday between the rain, wind and hail. 😀

Our Communications Team was thrilled to receive a bronze award at the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) Awards in Auckland for Backbone Broken: PowerNet’s October 2025 Storm Response.

Entered in the Issues, Crisis and Reputation Management category, this recognition reflects the importance of clear, timely and trusted communication during major events — especially when our communities are dealing with the real impacts of severe weather and prolonged outages.

We were so grateful for the amazing support shown by our communities throughout the response, from encouraging comments shared on social media, to the generous donations of food and kindness for our crews working long days in challenging conditions.

Pictured: Communications Manager Hannah McLeod and Chief Executive Paul Blue receiving the award. National recognition for a small regional team, and for the communities we’re proud to serve!

We're delighted to support Hato Hone St John Invercargill's Annual Appeal again this year. On Friday our team were based at The Batch Cafe helping collect donations for this important cause. We've been partnering with Hato Hone St John for more than 12 years, and it's a relationship we're incredibly proud of.

This week, our health and safety business partner Phil hosted a training session with the team from Wilson Contractors 2003 Ltd . The team were upskilling themselves on the risks when working around power lines, underground cables and other electrical infrastructure. Being aware of the potential risks and knowing what to do when something goes wrong helps keep everybody safe. Big thanks to Wilson Contractors for taking a proactive approach. If your workplace is keen to find out more, get in touch with PowerNet’s health and safety team.