Waipā Networks

31/08/2026

Community Grant applications are open 🎉
Got a local project, initiative or activity that could make a positive difference in our community?

Our next round of Community Grants is now open, with funding of up to $1,000 available for community-focused projects and initiatives.

We’re proud to support local groups and organisations doing great things across the communities we serve. Applications close 30 September.

👉 Find out more and apply:

Apply for a Waipā Networks Community Grant Sponsorship and access funding for local initiatives that benefit communities across our network area.

28/08/2026

What do bulls have to do with power outages? 🐂⚡

For our latest That’s a Good Question, we caught up with faultman Ashton to find out what happens when the power goes out, how our crews track down the cause and some of the more unusual things that can cause an outage – including bulls rubbing up against poles and stay wires.

No complicated explanations, just good questions and answers from someone who knows the work.

Power out? Check our outages page first. If it’s not showing, call us 24/7 on 0800 800 769.

26/08/2026

We’ve signed a Whakapiringa Ngākau (Memorandum of Understanding) with , marking the start of a closer working relationship focused on the future of our communities. ⚡

The agreement will see us work together to explore opportunities to strengthen energy resilience, support sustainable development and better understand the priorities and aspirations of Maniapoto communities.

For us, it’s about building stronger relationships and making sure local knowledge and priorities are part of conversations about the future.

We’re looking forward to what we can achieve together.

👉 Read more:

We recently signed a Whakapiringa Ngākau (Memorandum of Understanding) with Te Nehenehenui, the Post Settlement Governance Entity for Maniapoto, marking the start of a closer working relationship focused on future energy resilience and opportunities to collaborate on infrastructure initiatives acro...

19/08/2026

That’s a Good Question is back, and this time, it’s a Safety Week edition.

We caught up with Zak to answer a few questions about Safety Week. What it is, who takes part and why we dedicate a whole week to training, refreshing important skills and checking our equipment.

Safety is part of what we do every day, and Safety Week gives our teams dedicated time to make sure their skills and competencies stay up to date.

No complicated explanations, just good questions and answers from someone who knows the work.

Find out more on our website!

19/08/2026

We have a car v pole incident causing a large power outage in the Te Awamutu and Kihikihi areas.

Our team is working as quickly and safely as possible to get customers reconnected.

For updates, check our outages page: https://waipanetworks.co.nz/outages/ or call 0800 800 769. Thanks for your patience.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE: If you see our work crews carrying out maintenance or repairs please do not approach them unless it is an emergency. Please remember our team can be working with live electrical lines so approach sites carefully to ask for help.

13/08/2026

We’re heading back to Annual Connection! ⚡

We’re excited to be attending Annual Connection NZ 2026 in October to compete and connect with professionals from across the electricity supply industry. We can’t wait!

📍 Pukekohe Showgrounds
📅 20–22 October 2026

11/08/2026

Have you ever wondered what's involved in keeping Waipā powered for the future?

As our region grows and more of our lives become powered by electricity, the network behind the scenes needs to grow too.

Waipā Networks Chief Executive Damien Whiffen has shared his thoughts on what the future of electricity could look like for our communities, and why planning ahead matters for reliability, resilience and affordability.

Electricity plays a part in almost everything we do. That's why we're focused on making sure our network is ready for what comes next.

Check out Damien’s article. 👇

By Damien Whiffen, Chief Executive, Waipā Networks Electricity is something most of us rarely think about until it’s not there. We flick a light switch, put the jug on, charge a phone, milk the cows, open the business, heat the home, or keep production moving. It works quietly in the background, ...

10/08/2026

Welcome to That’s a Good Question — a series where we answer the questions people ask us about our network and the work we do.

For our first one, we’re on site with Leighton. He answers a question we hear from time to time and gives us a look at what’s happening out in the field.

No complicated explanations — just a good question and an answer from someone who knows the work.

Find out more: https://waipanetworks.co.nz/thats-a-good-question-on-site-with-leighton/

29/07/2026

Winter can put extra pressure on our network. Storms, trees and branches contacting power lines, vehicle accidents and higher electricity demand can all increase the risk of power outages.

We've been preparing behind the scenes with maintenance, vegetation management and network upgrades, and our crews are ready to respond if outages occur. There are a few things you can do too:

✅ Keep torches and spare batteries handy.
✅ Charge phones and essential devices before severe weather.
✅ Have a backup plan if you rely on electricity for essential medical equipment.
✅ Drive to the conditions – last year, we responded to40 vehicle-versus-pole incidents across our network.

If you see a damaged power pole or downed power line, stay well clear, treat every line as live, and report it to our 24/7 faults team on 0800 800 769.

Stay safe this winter.⛈