Up to a week to repair Cook Strait link

Energy and Resources Minister, Gerry Brownlee, says it could take up to a week to repair the Pole 2 Cook Strait power cable link.

The failure of the Pole 2 link at 10.40pm last night has no immediate implications for consumers as there is sufficient generation capability available in the North Island and South Island at present.

Transpower has today declared a grid emergency due to the failure of Pole 2 to allow it to begin testing Pole 1 to restore at least part of the inter-island high voltage direct current (HVDC) link.

"Transpower have advised it could take between two and seven days to repair the fault, which is with a transformer at Benmore," said Mr Brownlee.

"Pole 1, which was shutdown in late 2007 following specialist insurance advice, is being tested over the next 24 hours with the view to bringing back some capacity to this link," he said.

"This incident is particularly concerning and means for possibly the next week we have less security of supply," said Mr Brownlee.

"The underlying problem here is not a new one, we were saying for a number of years while in opposition that there's been a lack of investment in our electricity grid," he said.

Transpower has a project underway to replace the 43-year-old Pole 1 but the work won't be completed until 2012.

"I am confident that Transpower is doing every thing it can to get the Pole 2 high voltage link operational, and it's perhaps fortunate this incident happened during autumn rather than in the height of winter," said Mr Brownlee.