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Electricians in TaranakiOne lines company, westerly storms and salt air.

Taranaki's power runs on Powerco's lines, from New Plymouth to Hāwera, so there's one number for fallen lines and anything unsafe: 0800 27 27 27. A normal outage goes to your retailer first, Powerco says. For work inside your home, we match you with one licence-checked local electrician who does that kind of job.

Powerco in Taranaki

Emergencies, 24/7: 0800 27 27 27

Fallen lines, leaning poles, damaged pillar boxes, or burn marks, smells or crackling at your switchboard. Treat every line as live, stay at least 10 metres back (about a bus length), and call 111 if anyone's in danger.

Where your side starts

Powerco says the overhead line or underground cable from your boundary to the house is yours to maintain, and your retailer usually owns the meter. If your service line is damaged, call an electrician, who arranges a temporary disconnection with an approved contractor.

Wind, trees and the coast

Most big outages here start with wind and trees. As ex-Cyclone Gita hit on 20 February 2018, nearly 23,000 Taranaki properties were without power and a regional state of emergency was declared. During Cyclone Gabrielle, 10,781 Powerco customers in Taranaki were off at 6am on 14 February 2023. A July 2021 storm cut 11,000 at its peak, and the last to be reconnected were mainly in central and southern Taranaki.

Powerco also notes corrosion of its network along the coastline. Salt air works on the fittings at your place too, so outdoor lights, power points and meter boxes near the sea are worth a look whenever an electrician is on site.

Building, solar and EV chargers

Powerco says connection requests submitted from 27 October are likely to be scheduled in the new year. If you're building, get yours in early through its Powerco Connect portal (new connections).

For solar, your installer applies to Powerco, and nothing is installed until it's approved. Solar PV is also high-risk work under New Zealand's rules, so a licensed electrical inspector checks it and issues a Record of Inspection, and the job isn't legally complete until that and the Certificate of Compliance are both issued (certificates explained).

Powerco's smart charging trial put managed chargers in the homes of 80 EV drivers, and 93% of those surveyed were happy with it. Before an EV charger goes in, ask the electrician to check with Powerco.

Local pages

Our New Plymouth page goes deeper on the city. Elsewhere in Taranaki, put in your postcode and we'll look for a match near you.

Our take on Taranaki

Save 0800 27 27 27 and learn which side of the boundary a problem sits on. Near the coast, ask whoever does your next electrical job to look over the outdoor fittings while they're there. It takes them a few minutes, and salt damage is easier to deal with early.

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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Cities and towns in Taranaki

Electricians in New PlymouthPowerco's emergency line, Taranaki's tornadoes, coastal corrosion and the service line on your own section.

Questions

Straight answers.

My meter shows nothing. Is that my problem or Powerco's?

Check your switchboard for a tripped switch first. If the meter itself is blank, Powerco says the fuse on the pole or pillar box at your boundary may have blown, so report it rather than calling a sparky.

Do I call Powerco or my retailer in a power cut?

For an ordinary power cut, Powerco asks you to tell your retailer, or report it on Powerco's website. Keep 0800 27 27 27 for anything unsafe, like a fallen line or a leaning pole.

Related help

Helpful next

Electricians in New PlymouthPowerco's emergency line, Taranaki's tornadoes, coastal corrosion and the service line on your own section.Emergency electricians111, the lines company or an electrician? What to do first in an electrical emergency at home.New power connections and supply upgradesElectrician, lines company, retailer: who does what for a new connection, and how long it can take.EV charger installationWall charger or 3-pin cable, the Type B RCD, load checks and the certificates you should get for a home charger.Electrical certificates in New ZealandWhich certificate you get for which electrical job, when it's due, and what to do if it never arrives.Power out in part of the houseOne room or half the house dark: what to check at the switchboard, and when to call the lines company instead.

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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