Damaged Poles or Lines
Broken lines or damaged poles
- Call Northpower Faults on 0800 10 40 40 to report broken lines or damaged poles.
- Treat all power lines as live at all times and keep everyone, especially children, well clear of the area.
- If a car has hit a pole and brought down the power lines, the safest way to avoid electric shock is for occupants should stay in the car until help arrives. They should only try to get away from the car if another urgent matter, such as a fire in the car, forces them to evacuate. If they must leave the car before help arrives, they need to jump clear, being careful not to touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time.
If you hit an underground cable
If you damage an electrical cable, contact us immediately. Call Northpower Faults on 0800 10 40 40 to report the damage, treat the cable as live and keep all people well away from the area.
Never cover up a damaged cable and do not try to correct the situation yourself.
Lines clashing
In high winds, power lines can clash together, making bright flashes and loud bangs and can cause power surges and outages.
Northpower can install a separator on the lines to prevent clashing. To report clashing lines call Northpower Faults on 0800 10 40 40 and we will arrange for a faultsperson to assess whether a lines separator is required.
Items on lines
If you tangle an item on a power line, call Northpower Faults on 0800 10 40 40 to arrange to have a Northpower service team come and remove it. Never try to remove it yourself.
Did you know?
Our most skilled Line Mechanics can work on live lines up to 33,000 volts. They wear gloves that are insulated to 40,000 volts.