Severe weather and grid fault cause widespread power outages

NZ HeraldThe Press1NewsSunday 23 August 2026 · 3 outlets · 3 reports · updated
Photo: NZ Herald (opens in new tab)

Thousands of properties lost electricity across the lower South Island and parts of the North Island due to a national grid fault and severe storms. The outages affected tens of thousands of homes and businesses, with hundreds of customers in the Nelson-Tasman and West Coast regions still without power.

How they headlined it

First reported by NZ Herald, Sun 23 Aug, 10:21am · 3 reports from 3 outlets over 5 hours
  1. NZ HeraldNZ Herald

    Weather: Thousands without power across Wellington and the South Island (opens in new tab)

  2. The PressThe Press

    Severe gales cut power to hundreds of homes (opens in new tab)

  3. 1News1News

    Hundreds still without power as storm, grid fault hit lower South (opens in new tab)