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Dunedin, Otago

Electricians in DunedinOld brick houses, cold winters and a network being renewed.

Dunedin's electrical work is shaped by old brick villas, cold winters, private lines and poles that owners look after, and flooding in South Dunedin. Tell us the job and we'll match it with a licence-checked local electrician who does that kind of work. Aurora Energy runs the lines here, and its 24/7 faults line is 0800 22 00 05.

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View over Dunedin and its harbour hills from a city lookout at sunset.
Photo: Donovan Kelly on Pexels

Floodwater and electricity

If water has reached power points, appliances or the switchboard, don't switch anything back on until a licensed electrician has checked it. Stay out of flooded rooms where the power might still be on. If a line is down, get back at least 10 metres, call 111 straight away, then Aurora Energy on 0800 22 00 05.

Why Dunedin is different

Aurora Energy, owned by the city

Aurora Energy runs Dunedin's lines and is owned by Dunedin City Council through Dunedin City Holdings. The council began distributing electricity in 1907.

A network catching up

The Commerce Commission said the core of Aurora's network was mostly built in the 1950s and 1960s, and an independent review found over 300 overhead line, pole and crossarm failures between 2015 and 2018. In the year to 31 March 2025, Aurora replaced 607 power poles and 101 distribution transformers.

Storms and trees

At the peak of the 23 October 2025 storm, more than 16,000 customers on Aurora's Otago network had no power. Aurora said the damage ran from Berwick to the tip of the Otago Peninsula, mainly from trees breaking lines.

Flooding on the flat

About 2,700 homes in South Dunedin sit less than 50 cm above sea level on soft ground that was once tidal wetland. Heavy rain on 3 to 4 October 2024 brought a state of emergency, with surface flooding worst in Green Island, Caversham, Musselburgh, St Kilda, St Clair and Kaikorai Valley.

Brick villas from the 1870s on

Heritage New Zealand says most of Dunedin's historic housing is single and two-storeyed villas from the 1870s onwards, and that the city stands out for its brick-built houses.

Cold, and windy

Dunedin Airport averages 66 days a year below 0 °C, and NIWA says Dunedin is typically windier than most of Otago, especially in winter.

What that means for the jobs here

Rewiring brick houses. In a solid brick villa, new cable can't simply be fed down a hollow wall the way it can in a timber frame, so a rewire takes more planning. An electrician who works on older homes will look at ceiling and underfloor routes first.

Heating, and telling Aurora. Aurora says you need to apply to alter your connection when you install notifiable loads such as EV charging, generators or heat pumps. Your registered electrician registers the job with one of Aurora's Approved Network Contractors, who quotes and applies, so you shouldn't apply direct.

Your own lines and poles. Property owners are responsible for the customer service line from where it crosses their boundary, including low voltage lines and poles on their land. Aurora recommends having them inspected every five years.

Solar. Since 1 August 2025, single phase homes on Aurora's network can export up to 10 kW, up from 5 kW, though actual export may be lower and the inverter needs voltage response settings turned on.

Rentals. At the 2023 Census, 31.85% of Dunedin households didn't own their home. Heating and extractor fans for the healthy homes standards are steady work, and landlords can't do the electrical side themselves.

Our advice for Dunedin homes

In an old brick villa, we'd have the wiring and switchboard tested before planning a heat pump, and we'd let the electrician handle the Aurora side of any new load. In South Dunedin or another low-lying street, know where your main switch is, and keep anything that's been wet switched off until it's checked. And if there's a pole or line on your land, we'd book the five-yearly inspection Aurora recommends.

Want a specialist to sort it?

Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.

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Suburbs and areas around Dunedin

Questions

Straight answers.

Who do I call in a Dunedin power cut?

Check Aurora Energy's outage list first. If your area's out and it isn't listed, call Aurora on 0800 22 00 05. If only your home is affected, Aurora suggests checking the circuit breakers or fuses on your switchboard and reporting the fault to your power company.

Do I need Aurora's approval for a heat pump?

Aurora lists heat pumps among the notifiable loads that mean altering your connection. In practice, your registered electrician registers the job with an Aurora Approved Network Contractor, who applies to Aurora for you.

My power points got wet in a flood. Are they safe?

Treat them as unsafe until a licensed electrician has checked them. If you can reach the main switch safely and you're standing somewhere dry, switch off there, and have the switchboard itself looked at if water reached it.

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Related help

Helpful next

Electricians in OtagoAurora, PowerNet and Network Waitaki contacts, your own poles and lines, and growth across Otago.Electricians in MosgielHeating circuits, flood checks and Aurora Energy's connection rules for homes in Mosgiel.House rewiringSigns your wiring is past it, part or full rewires, and the certificates a rewire should come with.Heat pump wiring and circuitsThe circuit, switchboard space and certificates behind a heat pump, and what the rental heating standard asks.Emergency electricians111, the lines company or an electrician? What to do first in an electrical emergency at home.Electric shocks and burning smellsShocks, tingling taps, hot power points and burning smells: what to do right now, and who to call.

Where this information comes from

Rules change, so check with the EWRB, WorkSafe or Tenancy Services if something matters to your job. How we write and check these pages.

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