A car that smashed into a power pole near Hastings caused damage to that cut power to 400 homes today.
Police and ambulance were called to the single-car crash on Longlands Rd West, between Railway Rd South and the Hawke's Bay Expressway, about 8.30am.
A police spokeswoman said the sole occupant of the car, which was badly damaged by the impact, was uninjured. A St John ambulance went to the scene but was not required.
The road was down to one lane.
Line company Unison spokesman Danny Gough said 400 homes were briefly without electricity as a result of the damage to the 11kV line.
A shifting of their network restored power to most quickly, but 36 homes remained without power until a new power pole was installed and the line restored about 3.45pm.