Palmerston North homes and businesses affected by a lightning strike
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
A lightning struck at the Transpower Linton grid exit point in Palmerston North, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without power. 13 minutes the power was out, but Powerco managed to restore power to homes in just 30 minutes, and the electricity went back on at 9.30am.
A Powerco spokesman said about 10,750 people lost power on Wednesday morning, including at Massey University and parts of the central business district. Highbury and Riverdale were also affected.
A Transpower spokeswoman said the outage was due to lightning striking the circuit.
Related news
Power bills are starting to change from 30 October — here’s what the new improvements will mean
Power bills are not exactly famous for being easy to understand. Between daily charges, per-kWh rates, discounts, estimated readings and different plan names, it...
06/10/2026
Election 2026: What the major parties are promising on power and energy
With electricity prices, energy security and the transition to renewable generation emerging as key issues in the 2026 election, the major parties are offering...
06/10/2026
What Is the Average Electricity Bill in New Zealand in 2026?
The average electricity bill in New Zealand in 2026 varies a lot by region, household size, and power plan, so a single national number...
30/06/2026
