Hundreds Still Without Power After Heavy Winds Batter Coromandel and Bay of Plenty

Coromandel Peninsula & Bay of Plenty, September 15, 2025 – Severe winds across the Coromandel Peninsula and Western Bay of Plenty have left hundreds of households still without electricity, following widespread outages that peaked at more than 13,500 customers over the weekend.

According to Powerco, the region’s lines company, the outages were largely caused by trees and debris crashing onto power lines as gusts reached up to 120 km/h in some exposed areas. While crews have restored power to thousands of homes, around 1,700 properties remained without supply on Monday morning.

Areas Hit Hardest

The Whangamatā–Whiritoa corridor was one of the worst affected, after a 600-metre span of 33kV line collapsed in difficult terrain, cutting power to nearly 4,800 customers. In the Western Bay of Plenty, large numbers of residents around Katikati, Aongatete, and Wairoa Road also lost electricity.

Powerco has deployed additional crews, but the company warns that full restoration could take longer in remote or heavily damaged areas. Some broken lines and poles lie in rugged landscapes, making access and repairs more challenging.

Safety Reminders

Authorities are urging the public to treat all fallen lines as live and dangerous.

“Please keep well clear of any downed power lines and report them immediately. Safety must come first while our teams work to restore supply,” a Powerco spokesperson said.

Weather Conditions

MetService reported that strong nor’west winds swept across the upper North Island during the weekend, bringing damaging gusts to exposed parts of Coromandel and Bay of Plenty. Although conditions have since eased, unsettled spring weather remains in the forecast, with warnings that further strong winds could return later this week.

Ongoing Recovery

Residents are being advised to prepare for extended outages in some areas. Many locals have turned to generators, gas cooking, and community centres for support while crews continue their work.

Despite the disruption, officials stress that the repair effort is progressing steadily, with thousands already reconnected. As of Monday evening, Powerco said it expected significant progress within the next 24 to 48 hours, though some isolated rural households may face longer delays.