Motueka, Nelson Tasman
Electricians in MotuekaTown feeders, long rural lines and a river that floods.
Need an electrician in Motueka, Kaiteriteri or up the valley? Tell us the job and we'll match it with one licence-checked electrician around Motueka who does that kind of work. Network Tasman owns the lines here, and its toll-free 24 hour fault line is 0800 508 100.
- Licence-checked electricians only
- One specialist, not five phone calls
- Your number goes only to the electrician who takes the job
Motueka's supply, and its weak points
Town versus country
Network Tasman's Motueka supply region has about 8,000 connections, including Kaiteriteri. The township is fed by four 11 kV feeders from Motueka substation, but rural areas mostly hang off single overhead lines with very limited backup.
An upgrade under way
Network Tasman is upgrading Motueka substation, adding transformers, a switchboard and two new feeders into the township to keep up with residential growth. It's due for completion in 2026/27.
The 2025 floods
In late June 2025 floodwater washed away five power poles on Douglas Road near the Motueka River, and 12 households waited about five days for power. In the storm of 11 July 2025, about 3,200 households across Nelson Tasman lost power.
Where homes are going up
Motueka had 8,190 residents in 3,291 dwellings in 2023, up 15.2% on 2013. Network Tasman expects greenfield housing in the Lower Moutere area and the hills south of town, and more permanent and holiday homes around Kaiteriteri.
Living at the end of a single line
If your power comes along one rural line, a single fallen tree or slip can leave you off for days, as Douglas Road found. That makes some jobs more useful here than in town: a properly installed generator connection, a switchboard with RCDs that isolates faults cleanly, and outdoor fittings that can take the weather.
Ex-Cyclone Gita in February 2018 showed the same pattern, cutting power to areas including Kaiteriteri and flooding parts of Motueka. After any flood, anything wet stays off until a licensed electrician has tested it.
Trees on rural properties
Network Tasman says property owners are responsible for trees on their land and could be liable for significant repair costs if those trees damage power lines. A free trim is offered the first time a Cut/Trim notice is issued for a tree, and owners can be fined up to $10,000 for not complying.
A 'clear to the sky' rule for lines of 22,000 volts and above (and spans over 150 metres) has a grace period until October 2026. If big lines cross your block, talk to Network Tasman about what that means for your trees.
Power acting strangely? Before you call
- Lights dimming and brightening: Network Tasman asks you to call 0800 508 100.
- Partial power: check your switchboard for blown fuses or tripped breakers, and call if everything looks okay.
- A downed line: stay well away, warn others, and call with the location. Keep at least 10 metres back, and call 111 if anyone's hurt.
- A planned outage: Network Tasman tells your retailer, who tells you, usually with at least two weeks' notice.
If we lived up the valley
We'd treat a generator inlet as a basic household fitting, not a luxury, and have a licensed electrician install it with a proper changeover. We'd also walk the boundary each autumn and deal with any tree leaning towards the line before Network Tasman has to send a notice.
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.
Questions
Straight answers.
Who do I call for a power fault around Motueka?
Network Tasman, on 0800 508 100, any time. Your retailer handles your account, but faults on the lines go to Network Tasman.
Can I add an EV charger on a rural Motueka supply?
Talk to your electrician before you buy one. Network Tasman says most EVs come with a lead for a standard three pin socket, and that there are limits on how much charging power a home can have before its connection needs a capacity upgrade.
Someone at home relies on medical equipment. What should I do?
Register with your retailer as medically dependent, Network Tasman says, and have a plan for outages. In a medical emergency, call 111.
Ready for a sparky in Motueka?
Pop in your postcode and answer a few quick questions. We find the licensed local specialist for the job.
Related help
Helpful next
Where this information comes from
- Network Tasman Asset Management Plan 2026-2036, checked 29 October 2026
- RNZ Electricity finally restored as flood waters recede at Motueka (3 July 2025), checked 29 October 2026
- RNZ Families remain isolated in parts of Motueka Valley following Nelson Tasman floods (17 July 2025), checked 29 October 2026
- RNZ Cyclone Gita aftermath: What you need to know (21 February 2018), checked 29 October 2026
- Wikipedia Motueka, checked 29 October 2026
- Network Tasman Trees, power lines, and you (Clear to the Sky requirements), checked 29 October 2026
- Network Tasman Fault Response, checked 29 October 2026
- Network Tasman Stay safe around downed power lines, checked 29 October 2026
- Network Tasman Planned power outages: what you need to know, checked 29 October 2026
- Network Tasman Charging EVs, checked 29 October 2026
- Electricity Authority Power outages, checked 28 October 2026
- Powerco Electricity emergency, checked 28 October 2026
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