Northpower will need to turn off the power to some of the area to connect the new substation safely and switch it on. This work cannot be completed on live high voltage lines, and when power starts flowing through the transformers it takes a while to warm things up.
There will be a couple of widespread power outages overnight on the 19th and 26th March to complete this work. We will contact those customers who are affected either by email (if we have received this information from your retailer) or post. You may be affected by one or both outages.
The new 15-megawatt substation is all part of Northpower’s plan to prepare Mangawhai and its surrounds for future growth in capacity and to increase the security of power supply. It will initially be able to power over 7,500 homes and provide added backup to customers supplied from the Mangawhai North substation.
Along with the substation, new high-voltage lines to the area have been installed to connect the new substation to the existing Mangawhai North substation, providing important backup and greater resiliency to the electricity supply in the area.
A public open day will be arranged for local people to come and have a look at the new substation once works is completed – watch this space for more information.