Karori's weather, lines and houses
Storms that knock the power out
At the height of the June 2013 storm about 30,000 properties in the Wellington region lost power, as winds snapped poles and trees brought down lines. In February 2026 Wellington's strongest winds since 2013 (193 km/h) came through, and Wellington Electricity restored about 21,000 customers.
Snow on the hill suburbs
In the October 2003 storm, snow settled on Karori, Brooklyn and Broadmeadows. Cold snaps push heaters and heat pumps hard, which is when overloaded circuits show up.
An older suburb that's still big
Karori is one of New Zealand's most populous suburbs, with 14,769 people in 5,334 dwellings at the 2023 Census, down 3.0% since 2018. The borough joined Wellington City in 1920, and Ryman Healthcare bought a site here in 2017 for a retirement village.
Wellington Electricity owns the lines
Its 24-hour emergency line is 0800 248 148, for damaged poles and fallen lines. Across Wellington City, 41.37% of households didn't own their home at the 2023 Census.
When the power goes out in Karori
Check the street
If your neighbours are out too, it's a lines fault. Check Wellington Electricity's outages page; if your outage is already listed, there's no need to report it.
Unplug the big appliances
WREMO suggests unplugging major appliances when the power goes off, to limit surge damage when it comes back. Use torches, not candles.
Still off when the street is back on?
Contact your power company. Single-property faults take longer to fix after a big storm. If your own switchboard has tripped and won't reset, that's an electrician's job.
A tree on a line
Stay at least 10 metres away and call 111. Don't try to trim a tree yourself if any part of it is within 4 metres of a power line.
Common jobs in Karori homes
Old switchboards and wiring. Homes from the early 20th century often still have rewireable fuses or rubber-insulated cable. An electrician can test the insulation and tell you what's worth replacing.
Circuits that trip in cold snaps. Heaters, a heat pump and a dryer on one old circuit is a common cause. The fix may be a new circuit or a board upgrade.
Lighting and alarms for older residents. Better lighting on steep paths and steps, and interconnected smoke alarms.
What we'd do in Karori
We'd sort the switchboard before the next winter storm, so cold-weather loads have room and every circuit has RCD protection. Then we'd keep a torch and a battery radio handy, because no electrician can bring the street back on.
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.