Blackout in Cambridge, NZ

NZ Town paralysed by unexplained power outage

Cambridge has begun to count the cost of the 12-hour blackout that paralysed the town following an explosion at the Watkins Rd substation.

Waikato Times

21 April, 2013

A massive explosion happened at 11.53pm on Thursday causing damage to the substation's 11kV indoor switchgear and waking nearby residents, leaving more than 12,000 homes and businesses in the dark.

Transpower crews had to wait an hour for the smoke to clear.

They worked around the clock to repair the damage and by early yesterday afternoon Waipa Networks began to gradually roll out power to residential and commercial customers.

Transpower corporate communications manager Rebecca Wilson said they were yet to isolate the cause of the explosion.

"Our efforts have been on fixing the damage that got caused by the explosion."

A full investigation into the cause was planned once power was restored to the town and stabilised.

Mrs Wilson said the explosion was a rare occurrence.

There was no indication the nine substations throughout the Waikato were at risk.

"Once we do an investigation we will have a much better idea of what caused it and that won't be done for at least another week."

Waipa Mayor Alan Livingston said the economic impact on the town is a "big question" but was unable to put a dollar value on the town's loss.

"Clearly there is going to be a degree of adverse economic impact but primarily I would say it's more of an inconvenience."

He said the timing was fortunate for the dairy industry.

Fonterra Hautapu site manager Dave Young said they diverted milk to a neighbouring factory to be processed.

"At this time of the year we have spare capacity at many of our sites," Mr Young said

Cambridge Chamber of Commerce CEO Raewyn Jones said businesses would lose a day's earnings and she was concerned about possible surges damaging electrical devices when the power was restored.

She said the Cambridge business district was a ghost town but the blackout might prompt the business community to be prepared for future emergencies.

"Everybody was pulling together, everybody was helping out everybody," Sharon Pierce said. "Our next door neighbour was making us coffee because she had a little gas burner. People were around and about checking on everybody so it was good."

Jan Mathers was woken late Thursday night by a "loud bang" from the Transpower substation just 400 metres down from their Watkins Rd house.

She and husband William are on tank water and woke to find no flow to their rural home but managed to find enough for their morning cuppa.

"You'd be surprised what you can get out of a dehumidifier to make a cup of coffee on a gas stove so we survived for breakfast."