Far North to have nine hour power cut

Far North power company Top Energy is warning people in a large swathe of its supply area they will face nine hours without electricity during essential line maintenance.

Top Energy will cut power to Kaitaia and surrounding areas for most of the day on March 17 for essential maintenance work on the main electricity transmission line into Kaitaia.

The work is part of Top Energy's Far North network investment programme to ensure a more reliable supply of electricity to the region, and can only be done with the power supply out.

"We know this will be inconvenient for people and we apologise sincerely for that," chief executive Russell Shaw said.

"Unfortunately there is no ideal time to switch the power off. But, because this is currently the only transmission line to supply the Far North, it's important to keep it properly maintained to reduce the chance of unplanned outages."

A nine-hour power outage is planned, starting at 8am and will impact everywhere north of the Mangamuka Gorge, north of the Hokianga Harbour with the exception of Kohukohu, and all towns and districts as far north as Te Paki, including Kaitaia township.

A separate outage lasting about 30 minutes between 5pm and 6pm is planned for the east coast area to enable Top Energy to transfer the electricity supply there from generators back onto the Top Energy network.

The areas affected by this separate outage include the east coast from Taupo Bay up and the whole Karikari Peninsula, and inland including Fairburn, Fern Flat, Oruru, Paranui, Parapara, Pekerau and Peria.

People affected by the nine-hour outage will not be impacted by the 30-minute power cut and vice versa.