KEY POINTS:
Hundreds of people are being offered generators, food, water or accommodation as Vector struggles to restore power in the Auckland region after last week's storm.
Vector was last night unable to say when power would be restored, saying several of the affected homes were remote and needed specialist
work to repair the lines.
Most of those without power appeared to be on the North Shore and northwest Auckland, with around 140 homes affected.
While residents are becoming increasingly frustrated as they enter their seventh day without power, Vector said it was doing everything it could to restore it.
Auckland Civil Defence region group controller Harry O'Rourke said about 300 homes were still out yesterday morning but that had fallen to about 140 by the afternoon.
Vector said it hoped to have the number down to about 25 homes by today.
Mr O'Rourke said people who were still without power today could ring Vector or the government emergency response helpline.
They would be offered a generator - which would probably give enough power to run a small stove, heater and television - or accommodation in a motel.
"Many people have been coping without power for up to six days and I urge them to use the 0800 number and ask for help if they need it," Mr O'Rourke said. "Local councils are working with Vector and the Ministry of Social Development to provide generators, food and water and alternative accommodation to those in need."
Vector acting chief executive Simon Mackenzie said restoring power to some customers had been delayed because of damage to the network by wind and fallen trees.
In some cases helicopters and heavy machinery were needed to fix the lines, and traffic management was needed when lines were down near roads.
Mr Mackenzie said field crews were working last night to try to help customers.
However, after a week of huddling around candles, showering at work and eating takeaways, many people's patience is running out, especially on the North Shore.
Takapuna resident Ian Johns said Vector needed to employ more contractors to fix the problems, which weren't all in remote areas.
"They're putting money before everybody else.
"We're in Takapuna which is hardly far from Auckland."
Mr Johns said he and his neighbour had been without electricity for six days and had been calling their power company without much joy.
"They say they've put it on a file but won't tell you anything more."
Lines are live but where's the power?
North Shore resident Bruce Bathurst has spent the past five nights in the dark and is fed up with the snail-paced restoration of basic services.
Last Tuesday, a tree in the reserve next to his home in Seacliffe Ave, Belmont, fell and knocked down power and phone lines.
This cut his phone off, but the electricity to his property continued flowing through the lines lying on the ground.
Then about 7pm on Thursday, a contractor cut his power off without warning.
"I shot up the drive and Siemens had taken our pole fuse out under instructions from UnitedNetworks, which is Vector," said Mr Bathurst.
"I said to [the contractor], 'Look, it would have been very courteous if you had knocked on our door and said, "I've got to take your pulse fuse out" ... just to give us five minutes' notice'."
Mr Bathurst was led to believe the fallen lines were safe, but on Sunday night, when council workers arrived to deal with the fallen tree, he learned otherwise. They tested the lines as a precaution and found they were still live. They then had to wait four hours for Siemens to cut off the electricity.
"I said, 'You mean to tell me there have been live wires there next to two schools and the public for six days', and he [the contractor] said 'Yes'."
Mr Bathurst, who was still without power last night, is frustrated at how slow repair work has been.
When he called Genesis to find out when the power would be restored he was told, "Well if you had watched television the night before you would have seen we are very busy".
Since the power was cut Mr Bathurst and his wife have been unable to use their two cars, which are stuck in a garage with an electronic door. They are also unable to use their front door, which has an electric lock.
They have also had to empty spoiled food from their fridge and three freezers.
Mr Bathurst said his concern was not the way he and his wife - who has just come out of hospital - were suffering.
"It's not the sad sob story ... The public of Auckland are paying these people to give you these services and they just don't care," he said.
Mr Bathurst fears his sewage tank, which needs power to pump waste up to the main line, could overflow through their property and on to Takapuna Beach.
"I've told the council about this. It will go over their precious cliffs and it will wet their precious pohutukawa, and of course they don't like this idea at all but still aren't really prepared to do anything about it."
* Rodney District Council said those that have lost food due to loss of power to freezers should make a claim through their insurance company.
Those that have no insurance and are suffering hardship as a result of the loss of food can contact the Ministry of Social Development helpline number on 0800 779 997.
