WEL Networks keeps consumers in the dark as fury builds over power outages in Waikato

Tuesday, 10 August 2021

Power outages affected large areas of Waikato on Monday night, with thousands left without power.

The lines company that decided whose electricity stayed on and whose was cut on one of the coldest nights of the year is refusing to answer questions as consumer outrage builds following rolling blackouts.

Waikato residents vented their anger on social media about the lack of warning from Hamilton-based WEL Networks about the power outages, which left people freezing in the dark on Monday night, some traffic lights off, and wastewater systems needing backup.

Tens of thousands of households across New Zealand were plunged into darkness from mass power cuts this week, as power generation failed to meet demand across New Zealand.

However, when pressed for detail on how it managed the situation and how it decided whose lights went out, the company’s boss declined to speak, referring all media requests to Transpower.

Transpower spoke to the Waikato Times saying it followed all procedures to notify power companies there was a shortage of electricity to meet high demand.

Energy Minister Megan Woods says she has received assurances from power companies that electricity will be working on Tuesday night.

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Genesis Energy said a third rankine, or boiler, had not been operating at the time Transpower’s notices about insufficient electricity supply.

In Wellington, Energy Minister Megan Woods pointed the finger at Genesis Energy, owner of Huntly Power Station, that did not turn on its third coal/gas boiler because it didn't expect it would be needed, despite Transpower’s forecasts. Late Monday afternoon Genesis confirmed that it would not be cranking up its third boiler or Rankine, as it is known.

Large parts of Hamilton were without power on Monday evening after rolling outages in the region.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern weighed in, saying “it’s not good enough” people couldn’t heat their homes on a cold night.

In Waikato, thousands of houses were without power. WEL Networks’ social media post advising of the cuts was met with anger from customers on Monday night.

“It's the dead middle of winter, probably going to be the coldest night, and you want to turn the power off without warning! Call the ombudsman in the morning people this s… ain’t on.”

Another person criticised the lack of communication.

“Appalling WEL Networks to not have adequate notice for a planned outage, especially for the elderly … medically dependent and young children in the middle of winter – on one of our coldest nights – not acceptable!”

A WEL Networks spokesman declined to comment and referred all questions to Transpower.

Twenty traffic signals across the city were affected, as were 33 wastewater pump stations.

Waikato Police had to urge people to refrain from calling 111 to report the power issue.

On Tuesday, Stuff visited WEL’s office in Hamilton and asked to speak to someone about customers’ concerns about communication, and if more power cuts could be expected.

But a WEL spokesman said the company, which is owned by a community trust, would not comment and referred all questions to Transpower.

Transpower media spokesperson Christian Judge said he understood the blackouts were difficult for people, and it was not something it wanted to happen.

“We have homes, and we have families too, we understand.”

The operator sent an advisory to generators at 6.42am on Monday, noting concerns about meeting peak evening demand, then sent a follow-up at 1.03pm calling for more electricity from generators.

At 5.11pm it sent an emergency notice, which said there wasn’t enough electricity to meet demand in the case of a “contingency event”.

A Genesis Energy spokesperson said Monday’s blackouts were due to a “number of plant and market-related issues” which could not be blamed on a single company.

At 6.47pm lines companies – including WEL Networks – got the notice to reduce power on the networks.

Then, about 8pm, WEL Networks posted on social media that it would be cutting power to reduce load, advising medically dependent customers to action “back-up plans” or go to Waikato Hospital if required.

Judge said: “We don’t tell our customers [the lines companies] how to reduce load, just that they need to.”

When asked if lines companies, and therefore residents, had enough notice of the blackouts, Judge said Transpower couldn’t notify to “shed load” earlier than the moment “in real time” when there wasn’t enough power.

“It’s like you’re driving down the road, and you know you might have to pull over if there’s an issue, but you don’t pull over until something happens.”

The company followed all procedures earlier in the day to notify generators there could be insufficient electricity to meet demand.

“We worked into the evening, having earlier said it’s looking like these are the consequences in real time if we have a problem.”

Power companies respond

Following critical statements in the house from Energy Minister Megan Woods about “commercial decisions”, a Genesis Energy spokesperson said Monday’s blackouts were due to a “number of plant and market-related issues” which could not be blamed on a single company.

Genesis pointed the blame back at Transpower, saying it did not receive any formal request, or “clear price signal” from the operator which indicated its third boiler needed to be turned back on.

“Transpower did not request participants to increase available generation until issue of the first Grid Emergency Notice at 5.11pm on Monday – on the cusp of the evening peak.”

The third Rankine, or boiler in question, was not available to “the market” – a fact communicated clearly to Transpower, the spokesperson said.

They are not typically used to cover short-term spikes in demand, as they have a 6- to 10-hour lead time to start up.

Genesis did increase generation at Tokaanu in response to the notices, despite weed-related issues earlier in the day, the spokesperson said.

“We fully agree that consumers are entitled to expect a reliable and secure supply of electricity. We work to deliver that as part of the national energy system.”

Mercury Energy’s general manager of portfolio, Phil Gibson, said: “The issue last night [Monday] wasn’t about whether there was enough water, or coal, stored energy wasn’t the problem.

“Having enough generating units, able to start fast enough, was the nub of the issue.”

Units that haven’t been used for weeks are very difficult to start up, Gibson said.

The company responded quickly to Transpower’s notice on Monday, reviving a unit a Whakamaru which had an unplanned outage that morning.

At peak, Mercury’s 39 hydro generation units across nine stations in the Waikato produced 1084 megawatts of power, which the company believes is a record, Gibson said.