Fonterra factories at Kauri and Maungaturoto were expected to be operating today, using gas from a back-up line while repairs continue on the main Maui gas pipeline.
Gas from the back-up line was available at Kauri late on Wednesday and Fonterra staff worked to get the plant back processing milk
yesterday morning. Gas was back on at the Maungaturoto factory yesterday and milk processing was set to start again today.
A Fonterra spokeswoman said tankers collected milk from most Northland dairy farms yesterday. A minority who had not had their milk collected by 5pm would have had to dump it. She said all Northland milk should be collected today.
The Northland dairy factories were among a big number of businesses in the upper North Island that stopped operating this week when their gas supplies were turned off for repairs to a leak in the main Maui gas pipeline from Taranaki. Other major gas users in the North - Whangarei Hospital and the oil refinery and Carter Holt Harvey LVL plant at Marsden Pt - were unaffected by the gas stoppage as they were able to use other forms of energy.
Meanwhile, at the Whangarei Aquatic Centre cooling water without gas to heat it has caused the cancellation of swimming lessons for 1100 children today and tomorrow. Manager Scott Linklater said: "The water's too cold for the little kids."
