Car crash causes power outage in Dannevirke
A car crash between two vehicles occured; one of the vehicles damages a high voltage cable and cutting power to 38 homes.
Image source: Hawkes Bay Today
New Zealand, Dannevirke: On 1 September, a car crash between two vehicles occured, with one of the vehicles ploughing into a ground-mounted transformer, damaging a high voltage cable and cutting power to 38 homes.
A neighbour described hearing the crash which was followed by a loud blast which was the transformer and fuses blowing after the impact.
Police said one person was taken to hospital with moderate injuries.
Scanpower Limited network manager Peter Rue said a Scanpower staff member heard the crash and was at the scene within minutes. He contacted Scanpower management and a team of four were working on the site within 10 minutes.
Scanpower staff installed a temporary generator, and power had soon been restored to all houses in the area.
Rue said a small temporary generator was sufficient to restore power to all homes but it was not able to cope during peak power usage periods so a second generator was brought in the following day.
Scanpower staff removed the damaged transformer during the morning on 2 September but they are waiting for the weather to clear before they can carry out trench work to replace the high voltage cable.
Rue said work will continue through until 4 September when it was hoped the new transformer would be commissioned.
Source: NZ Herald