Orion earthquake response - Canterbury Earthquake [PDF]

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Mar 1, 2011 - Due to the heavy load on our contact centre, please DO NOT call our help line at this time unless it is an emergency. We have many urgent ...
Orion earthquake response Latest update – 10.00am, Tuesday 1 March 2011 Main points • We restored power to 85% of customers by last night • We will achieve 86% by the end of today. This will include all properties in Redcliffs/Sumner that are able to be reconnected ie excluding properties affected by evacuations, rock falls etc • We have begun property by property inspections and reconnections in Lyttelton. • Approximately 50% of customers within the CBD cordon and surrounds are reconnected • Approximately 50% of the repair of the damaged 66kV supply to the central city is finished, and will complete the remainder today • 28,000 customers remain to be reconnected • The percentage increases we are able to announce each day are slowing down as we tackle areas with severe damage to our underground cable network, mainly in the Brighton and Dallington areas. In many cases each cable has multiple faults • We remain very focused on trying to achieve our 95% reconnection target by the end of Sunday this week. This target excludes customers who cannot be connected and the parts of the CBD which are still off limits. Unforeseen disruptions, further aftershocks or altered priorities may prevent us from achieving it • The 66kV overhead line to Brighton substation was completed last night Today we started work on connecting up the large 41 tonne transformer between the line and the substation. The transformer will need to be tested tomorrow. If that is successful, we will be able to liven the substation on Thursday, and begin connecting customers in Dallington and Brighton. We caution that it will be a slow process of customer reconnection in these areas due to multiple cable faults, and we cannot say at this point which customers will come on first. Important messages for consumers • Please conserve electricity at this time. The power network is fragile. Turn off unnecessary appliances such as heated towel rails, and keep lights etc to a minimum. • Due to the heavy load on our contact centre, please DO NOT call our help line at this time unless it is an emergency. We have many urgent priorities at this time. • Consumers planning to use portable generators MUST consult an electrician on how to use these safely. Plugging one into your house can re-connect neighbouring properties without them or you knowing it. • If you are leaving your home, or do not have the power back on yet, turn the power off at the main switch, unplug all appliances at the wall and make sure the stove is turned off. This reduces the risk of fire when the power is restored. The Fire Service today reported they have attended three small house fires after power was restored. • The fragile nature of the network means there will inevitably be small unexpected power losses from time to time in areas already reconnected.

ENDS For further information, contact: Orion Media Phone: 0275 055 761 or Roger Sutton, CEO: 0274 333 632