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Gisborne

Electricians in GisborneAt the end of a long line, so plan for it.

If you need an electrician in Gisborne, tell us the job and we'll match it with one licence-checked local electrician who does that kind of work. Firstlight Network powers Gisborne, Wairoa and the East Coast, and its 24/7 faults line is 0800 206 207.

Need a sparky in Gisborne?

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  3. They call you to talk it through. No obligation to go ahead.
  • Practising licence and insurance checked before they hear about your job
  • One specialist for your kind of job, not a list of five to ring around
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Palm trees along the Tūranganui River in Gisborne with Titirangi (Kaiti Hill) behind.
Photo: L Maule, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Power in Tairāwhiti

Firstlight, now owned by Powerco

Powerco became Firstlight's owner on 31 July 2026 and intends that Firstlight will eventually become Powerco, name included. For now, keep calling 0800 206 207 to report outages. During big outages Firstlight posts crew progress updates on Facebook.

When the whole region went dark

In Cyclone Gabrielle, Firstlight lost power to all 26,000 connections when the transmission network into the region was extensively damaged, and 4,500 of them also had damage on the local network. After the grid link came back, crews spent over two weeks reconnecting cut-off communities.

Earthquakes

GeoNet says the Hikurangi subduction zone lies about 15 km beneath Gisborne. The magnitude 6.7 quake of 20 December 2007 collapsed three CBD buildings, and council figures show 1,582 chimney claims afterwards.

Floods

Cyclone Bola in March 1988 forced 3,000 people out of their homes in Gisborne city alone. After Gabrielle, 11 Tairāwhiti dwellings were red stickered and 170 yellow stickered by 7 March 2023.

Why Firstlight's network is different

Besides the local poles, wires and cables, Firstlight owns the region's high voltage transmission network, the lines that link East Coast communities to the national grid. So damage well away from Gisborne can still put the lights out in town.

It has been adding backup. A second 50 kV line now runs to Tokomaru Bay, which Firstlight says let it bypass much of the major damage in Gabrielle and restore many Coast communities relatively quickly. But a Gisborne household is still wise to plan for a long outage.

After a flood or a big shake

  1. Leave wet circuits off

    Anything that's been in water, including power points, the switchboard, the hot water cylinder or appliances, stays off until a licensed electrician has checked it.

  2. Keep away from damaged lines

    Firstlight says to treat fallen lines and damaged equipment as live at all times. Stay at least 10 metres back and call 111 if anyone's in danger, then 0800 206 207.

  3. Smell, smoke or crackling?

    If the switchboard shows burn marks, smells hot or crackles after a quake, don't touch it. Contact the lines company straight away.

  4. Book a check before you move back in

    If your home was stickered or flooded, ask for an electrician who does post-flood inspections, and keep the paperwork for your insurer.

Everyday jobs in Gisborne

Older homes. The council's plan mostly allows low-density, suburban housing, and in 2024 the mayor said the council was mindful of keeping the character of the city's old buildings. Older houses can still have rewireable fuses and no RCDs, and are worth a check before a renovation.

Infill and new builds. The council's Future Development Strategy aims for 5,400 new homes over 30 years, with 4,050 of them inside existing urban areas. Every new connection or alteration that may affect the network needs Firstlight's Application for Service form, which your electrician can supply and your retailer must approve.

Rentals. At the 2023 Census, 37.11% of households in Gisborne District didn't own their home or hold it in a family trust. Healthy homes heating and ventilation work, and smoke alarms, are steady landlord jobs.

What we'd do in Gisborne

We'd assume the next long outage is coming and plan for it, from a torch drawer to asking an electrician about safe backup. And if your home has ever had water through it, we'd get the wiring and the board checked properly, even if everything seems to work.

Want a specialist to sort it?

Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.

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Questions

Straight answers.

Who do I call for a power cut in Gisborne?

Firstlight Network, on its 24/7 faults line, 0800 206 207. Powerco now owns Firstlight, but nothing changed for customers on the day of the sale.

How long does solar approval take on Firstlight's network?

Firstlight says it confirms the status of an application within five working days and gives written approval within 30 working days. Approval of the application isn't permission to connect, so don't let anyone switch the system on early.

Can I check my own wiring after a flood?

No. Leave anything that's been wet switched off and get a licensed electrician to test it. Water damage inside fittings and boards isn't always visible.

Ready for a sparky in Gisborne?

Pop in your postcode and answer a few quick questions. We find the licensed local specialist for the job.

Related help

Helpful next

Electricians in Tairāwhiti GisborneFirstlight's faults line, Gabrielle and earthquake lessons, and finding a licence-checked sparky in Tairāwhiti.Electrical inspectionsInspections the law requires and safety checks you choose: who does them, and what you get at the end.Emergency electricians111, the lines company or an electrician? What to do first in an electrical emergency at home.Old switchboards with rewireable fusesCeramic rewireable fuses: why they're a concern, the fuse wire trap, and what replacing them involves.Extractor fans and heating for healthy homesFan sizes, fixed heating and the records landlords keep: the electrical side of the healthy homes standards.Electricians in NapierUnison's number, hot water that won't heat, Napier Hill's 1920s houses and the 2020 flood.

Where this information comes from

Rules change, so check with the EWRB, WorkSafe or Tenancy Services if something matters to your job. How we write and check these pages.

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