Restoring power after Cyclone Tam
Responding to Cyclone Tam, Northpower teams coordinated across Northland to restore power and support affected communities.
Annual Report 2026
27 May 2026
Faster detection of fallen lines
Northpower can now detect fallen power lines across our network faster by using the data produced by residential smart meters, in an effort to improve public safety.
Fallen lines pose a critical safety risk, particularly in rural areas. It can take a long time to detect a fallen line due to limited network visibility and delayed fault reports.
By using voltage and current data from around 65% of customer smart meters, we can now identify potential lines down events through advanced analytics rather than relying solely on customer calls or line inspections.
Working with specialist providers Bluecurrent and Future Grid, we can access and analyse smart meter data to identify abnormal voltage patterns to uncover hard to detect faults, including fallen lines across the network.
When an issue is identified, an alert is sent directly to our control room. Controllers can investigate the event using smart data tools and dispatch fault crews if required.
Earlier detection improves public safety by reducing the time live lines may be exposed in the community. It also supports faster, more informed responses, particularly in remote locations, improving safety and service quality without increasing costs for our customers.
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Stay Safe Together campaign with Mitre 10 MEGA
Partnering with Mitre 10 MEGA Whangārei, Northpower expanded its Stay Safe Together campaign, embedding safety messaging into everyday customer experiences.
Inspecting our network with drone technology
In Northland, Northpower’s Inspection Solutions team inspected over 12,000 poles using drone and thermal technology, transforming infrastructure inspection speed, safety and data quality.
