Lines company
Unison Networks power outages
Unison Networks owns and maintains the poles and wires across 3 network reporting regions. In a power cut they are who sends a crew — not the company that bills you.
Power out in the Unison Networks area?
Call Unison Networks — not your power company.
0800 286 476Unison Networks's faults line, 24 hours.
This page does not show live outages. Unison Networks's own map has what is out right now and the estimated restoration time.
Downed line, sparking or fire? Call 111 first.
Stay at least 10 metres away and keep others back. Treat every fallen line as live.
Coverage
What Unison Networks covers
- Network reporting regions
- Rotorua (Unison Networks) · Taupo (Unison Networks) · Hawke's Bay (Unison Networks)
- Places we list
- 6
- Faults line
- 0800 286 476
The Electricity Authority splits New Zealand into network reporting regions, and each one has a single lines company. If your bill names Unison Networks as the distributor or lines company, this is your network — whichever power company you buy from.
Towns and suburbs
Places on the Unison Networks network
Unison Networks outages — common questions
What is Unison Networks's faults number?
0800 286 476, 24 hours a day. Unison Networks owns and maintains the lines, so they are who to call in a power cut, not the company that bills you. If you can see a downed line, sparking, or anything on fire, call 111 first and stay at least 10 metres away. Treat every fallen line as live.
What area does Unison Networks cover?
Unison Networks runs the Rotorua (Unison Networks), Taupo (Unison Networks) and Hawke's Bay (Unison Networks) network reporting regions. Of the places we list, that includes Hastings, Havelock North, Napier, Rotorua, Taupo and Turangi. If your power bill names Unison Networks as the lines company, this is your network.
Does Unison Networks have an outage map?
Yes — https://www.unison.co.nz/outages. It shows current faults, the properties affected and an estimated restoration time once crews have assessed the damage. This page does not show live outages. For what is out right now and when power is due back, use the distributor's own outage map or call their faults line.
Why do I call Unison Networks and not my power company?
Because they are different businesses doing different jobs. Your power company buys electricity and bills you for it; the lines company owns the poles, wires and transformers it arrives through. A fault is a network problem, so Unison Networks is who dispatches a crew. Calling your retailer usually just adds a step, because they pass the report to Unison Networks anyway.
Can I choose a different lines company in the Unison Networks area?
No. Lines companies are regional monopolies, which is why they are price-regulated rather than competitive. Everyone on the Unison Networks network pays Unison Networks's lines charges no matter which power company they are with. What you can choose is the retailer, and with it the energy and service part of the bill, which is the part that varies.
You cannot choose Unison Networks. You can choose who bills you.
Lines companies are regional monopolies, which is why they are price-regulated rather than competitive. The retail half of your bill is not — compare 8 power companies and see what they offer at your address.
Compare power companies