Horizon Networks worked swiftly to maintain the power supply for Murupara and Galatea in the Eastern Bay of Plenty this week while replacing stolen wiring.

On Wednesday, September 18, the power company advised customers that over the previous 48 hours, they had earth wires stolen from the Galatea Zone Substation.

"This is a serious concern for us, as it poses a risk to customers and the people illegally removing these wires," says Operations manager Shane Piaray.

He said any outages required to replace the stolen earth wires would be kept to a minimum.

"We urge the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious behavior of any member of the public interfering with electricity infrastructure to the police, by calling 111.

"If you see any damaged power equipment or power lines down, please keep a safe distance away and report it to us as soon as possible on 0800 HORIZON or 07 306 29600. Treat all lines as live, at all times."

Piaray said those customers who were medically dependent on electricity, should contact their retailers if their power was out.

In case of an emergency, they should activate and follow the emergency plan set up by their doctor. If it’s an emergency, they should call their health provider or dial 111.

"We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause, and thank those still affected, for their continued patience and understanding," says Operations manager Shane Piaray.

"We advise all customers to contact their retailers in the first instance, and to treat ALL lines as alive at ALL times."

Horizon Networks, as part of the Horizon Energy Group, owns, manages and operates the electricity network that serves the Eastern Bay of Plenty region.

"We’re proud to care for a network that covers more than 8,000km and supplies over 25,000 customers, with a maximum demand of 90 MW of electricity," says Piaray.

"Maintaining a continuous, safe and reliable supply of electricity while protecting our assets and whanau through excellent health, safety and environmental procedures, is key to our success.

"We’re 100 per cent New Zealand owned by Trust Horizon, which was set up to provide funding towards energy related purposes for consumers on the Horizon Network."

For more information about preparing for natural disasters or civil emergencies, please visit the Civil Defence website at www.getthru.govt.nz