Top Energy outages today
Thanks to our real-time visualization tool, you can instantly check the number of Top Energy outage reports in your area and across the country.
I have a Top Energy power outage
Check the power outage reports on the website to see if you're affected by an electrical interruption.
Reported outages in the last 24 hours
...How to track and report outages live
Track the progress of reports through a chart that shows recent problems and a map that locates affected areas. If you encounter an issue, click on the "Report an outage" button to inform the community.
Top Energy, the network at the top of the North Island
Top Energy Limited owns and operates the electricity distribution network for the Far North district, the northernmost region of New Zealand. It serves about 33,000 customers across roughly 78,000 km², from Cape Reinga down to the south of Kaikohe, with about 9,700 connections per km of line, one of the lowest densities in the country.
Top Energy is owned by the Top Energy Consumer Trust, whose beneficiaries are the customers connected to the network. The trust also owns 100% of Northpower Fibre, which builds and operates the UFB fibre network in Whangārei, in the territory of the neighbouring distributor Northpower.
A long, low-density grid from Cape Reinga to Kaikohe
The Top Energy network covers Kaitaia, Kerikeri, Paihia, Kaikohe and the surrounding rural areas of the Far North. It is geographically the largest distribution network in the country, but one of the smallest by customer count. The territory is heavily dependent on a single Transpower 110 kV transmission line from Maungatāpoto, which makes the whole region vulnerable to single points of failure.
- About 33,000 customer connections at 31 March 2024.
- About 9,700 connections per km of line, one of the lowest densities of any New Zealand distributor.
- Geothermal generation through Top Energy's subsidiary Ngāwhā Generation Limited, with the Ngāwhā power station providing a local supply.
- Coverage of one of the most cyclone-exposed regions of New Zealand.
The geothermal Ngāwhā power station, commissioned in stages from 1998 and expanded through 2021, gives Top Energy a unique local generation source that reduces the network's dependence on the long transmission line from the south.
Why Top Energy outages happen so often in the Far North
Top Energy historically had some of the worst reliability metrics in New Zealand. A multi-year investment program has improved performance, but the network still faces specific structural risks.
Cyclones and severe winds
Northland sits in the direct path of ex-tropical cyclones moving down from the Coral Sea. Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023 caused widespread damage across the network. Top Energy regularly publishes red-alert preparation guidance ahead of named cyclones.
Native bush and farm tree lines
Top Energy spends one of the largest shares of operating expenditure on vegetation management in the country. Long rural feeders run alongside native bush and farm shelter belts that can blow into the line during high winds.
A single transmission link from the south
The Far North is connected to the national grid through a single 110 kV Transpower line. A fault on that line, or on the Wairua substation, can cut power to the whole region until the Ngāwhā geothermal station and local backup can pick up enough of the load.
Ngāwhā geothermal expansion and rural reliability upgrades
Top Energy completed the expansion of the Ngāwhā OEC4 unit in 2021, lifting local geothermal generation to about 56 MW. The expansion allowed the network to cover most local demand from the geothermal field in N-1 conditions, reducing exposure to Transpower outages.
On the lines side, Top Energy has invested in upgrading rural feeders, replacing aging crossarms and increasing tree-trimming cycles. SAIDI numbers have improved since the early 2010s but remain higher than the New Zealand average because of the territory's size and exposure.
Top Energy outage map, fault line and SMS alerts
Top Energy outage map
Top Energy publishes a near real-time outage map showing current unplanned faults and scheduled works across the Far North. Affected localities, estimated restoration times and fault status are updated by the control centre in Kaikohe.
24/7 fault line
For an electricity fault, dial 0800 867 363. The line is staffed 24/7.
Outage SMS and email alerts
Top Energy customers can subscribe to text and email notifications for unplanned outages and planned works in their area. These alerts are particularly valuable in rural areas where mobile coverage and landline access are limited.
Chorus fibre, fixed wireless and Northland internet providers
For a wider view of how the New Zealand electricity market works and where each lines company operates, see the New Zealand power outage page. For internet, fibre coverage in the Far North is delivered by Chorus, and most rural households outside the fibre footprint rely on 4G and 5G fixed wireless from Spark and One NZ under the Rural Broadband Initiative.