Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Top Energy chief Russell Shaw condemns substation break-ins risking lives in Far North

Brodie Stone
By Brodie Stone
Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·
23 Jul, 2025 02:20 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Top Energy chief executive Russell Shaw has slammed the actions of thieves who broke into substations and stole essential equipment, resulting in a forced power outage. Photo / File

Top Energy chief executive Russell Shaw has slammed the actions of thieves who broke into substations and stole essential equipment, resulting in a forced power outage. Photo / File

Recent break-ins at Top Energy substations have been slammed by the electricity network provider’s boss as “absolute stupidity”.

Russell Shaw says he is shocked people have broken into the Far North substations on separate occasions, potentially putting lives at risk.

Thieves broke into one substation on July 3 and stole essential equipment, which forced a manual shutdown.

Power was out to about 4500 customers.

“More seriously, they sabotaged the neutral-earth connection, leaving the high-voltage system without a proper earth reference,” Shaw said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“This is extremely dangerous and created a high risk of electrocution or serious electric shock – not just for the thieves, but also for any staff working on the substation afterwards."

Shaw said interference with electrical equipment could trigger widespread outages, affecting homes, businesses and essential services.

Acts that sabotage essential infrastructure carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In another earlier break-in, generators were damaged just before a major storm.

The generators acted as a “major part” of storm response, so power could be supplied while the network was fixed.

Thankfully, Shaw said, the damage was discovered before the storm hit.

He said substations were high-voltage facilities and played a critical role in the electricity network.

Anyone who entered without proper training and protective gear risked serious injury or death, he said.

“Don’t do it. You are jeopardising your life and those of others. It’s not worth it.”

The company has been forced to strengthen security measures as a result of the break-ins, but would not say which substations were affected.

Anyone who sees suspicious activity near Top Energy’s substations or electricity infrastructure should call police or contact the company via 0800 867 363.

Police have been approached for comment.

Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

'Fait accompli': NorthTec staff fear cuts as Te Pūkenga restructuring continues

Northern Advocate

Police probe spike in scrap metal thefts across Northland

Northern Advocate

Northland shearer Toa Henderson wins big at Royal Welsh Show


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

'Fait accompli': NorthTec staff fear cuts as Te Pūkenga restructuring continues
Northern Advocate

'Fait accompli': NorthTec staff fear cuts as Te Pūkenga restructuring continues

Consultation on cuts in primary industries, forestry and horticulture began on Monday.

23 Jul 11:47 PM
Police probe spike in scrap metal thefts across Northland
Northern Advocate

Police probe spike in scrap metal thefts across Northland

23 Jul 11:46 PM
Northland shearer Toa Henderson wins big at Royal Welsh Show
Northern Advocate

Northland shearer Toa Henderson wins big at Royal Welsh Show

23 Jul 11:39 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP