About Katikati
Settled in 1875, growing again
Ulster Scots from County Tyrone settled Katikati in 1875. It had 5,580 people in 2,334 dwellings at the 2023 Census, up 33.9% in ten years.
Avocado and kiwifruit country
Besides avocado orchards, there are many kiwifruit orchards around the town, so plenty of properties have sheds and other outbuildings that need power.
Powerco, and a busy substation
Katikati is on Powerco's lines; its emergency line is 0800 27 27 27. Powerco's 2025 plan lists a security constraint at its Katikati zone substation and says it's exploring ways to reduce a transformer capacity risk.
Weather
A severe hailstorm hit the western Bay of Plenty in May 2009, and NIWA recorded 17 damage-causing tornadoes in the Bay of Plenty region between 1981 and 2012.
What Katikati homes usually need
Lighting that's easy on the eyes. Brighter, even lighting in kitchens, hallways and bathrooms, switches within easy reach, and sensor lights by the door.
Smoke alarms that don't need a ladder every week. Long-life photoelectric alarms in bedrooms, hallways and living areas, ideally interconnected.
RCDs on an older board. If your switchboard has no RCDs, adding them is one of the best safety jobs you can do.
Power for orchard outbuildings. Sheds and outbuildings need supplies sized for the load and protected properly, and new circuits from the board need RCDs.
If we lived in Katikati
We'd get the board checked and RCDs added first, then fix lighting room by room, starting with the route from the bedroom to the bathroom. Little changes like that make the biggest difference to staying safely at home.
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.