Outage Centre launched as part of an ongoing programme of work

Network Updates

Today we’ve introduced the new Outage Centre to Aucklanders as part of our commitment to continuously improve how power outages are managed. 

The Outage Centre allows people to report power outages, find out information about existing ones online, register for automatic updates, and choose how they are kept informed about the progress of restorations.  

The Outage Centre is the latest step in a long-term programme to revamp and modernise the way we manage our network, while at the same time offering a way for customers to communicate with us that meets their expectations. 

We’ve always strived to provide great customer service, but the widespread power outages in Auckland caused by a powerful storm in April 2018, and the separate data breach of the old app that immediately followed, brought home the ways we can improve.

Both of those events were difficult times for those customers affected. Yet the silver lining was the honest customer feedback, the extensive internal and external reviews, and the important insights we have gained. These have all underpinned the ongoing work to better meet our customers' expectations for communicating and managing power outages on the network. 

Our new processes are designed to be able to manage large scale events. For example: within the first 24 hours after the April storm hit, more than 200,000 people used the Vector outage app and website to search for information and report power outages, and we received over 20,000 calls into our call-centre in that same period. This demand significantly impacted the way we responded to and managed reports of power outages and network damage during the days that followed.

While this is just the first iteration of the Outage Centre, it reflects an enormous amount of work ‘under the hood’ and has been thoroughly tested to ensure it continues to perform securely and under heavy demand..  

With the introduction of the Outage Centre, we’re actively encouraging our customers to share feedback on their experience with the Outage Centre to help us update and tweak our processes to better suit their needs.

Aucklanders can have confidence we’re learning from our mistakes and doing everything we can to ensure they are better informed during major weather or outage events. 

To check out and use the new Outage Centre, click here.  

To provide feedback on the new Outage Centre, click here.

For further information on how to prevent, prepare for, and stay safe during power outages, click here.

Outage Centre FAQs

What is the Outage Centre?

The Outage Centre is the new online hub for reporting power outages and getting restoration updates about outages affecting Auckland. It’s available online wherever you are.

My power is out. What do I do?
  • You can report your power outage via the Outage Centre by clicking on “Report an outage” 
  • You’ll be asked for further information about your issue which will help us determine which specialists to send to attend your call out, resulting in a faster restoration process.
  • You will also be able to register for updates to keep informed about the progress of the restoration.
How will I be updated about power outages?
If there is a known power outage at your address, or you report a new one through the Outage Centre, you can choose how you would prefer to be updated by Vector about the progress of power restoration.

By checking or reporting a power outage for your address through the Outage Centre, we will be able to let you know when our crew are on their way, when they’ve investigated the issue and can provide an estimated time when your power is expected to be restored.
What if my power outage is an emergency?
If there is a risk to people or property (e.g. a car has hit a power pole or there are downed power lines), please call us on 0508 832 867. If you are concerned about your health, please either contact the health professional responsible for your care immediately, go to the local hospital, or call 111 if it’s an emergency.

Any risk to your safety and those around you is extremely important to us. Further information about what to do in an emergency is available here.
How can I get updates about power outages?
You can register for updates about power outages in the Outage Centre when you report a power outage for your current address, or if Vector is already aware there is a power outage at that address.

You can notify Vector of a power outage by clicking “Report an outage” in the Outage Centre

You can check if Vector is aware of a power outage at your current address by clicking on “Check an address” in the Outage Centre
Why can’t I find the Outage Map?
The previous Outage Map was the first phase of a long-term programme to give Aucklanders access to secure, accurate and near real-time information about network outages.

However, while the map showed large area outages (known as High Voltage areas) it did not have the functionality to include individual addresses affected by smaller power outages, nor were people able to report a power outage and subscribe for updates through the Outage Map.

We are currently working on enhancing our systems to allow for better visualisation of power outages for our customers. This is included in our current programme of work around power outages and customer communication – read more above.

The new Outage Centre allows people to check individual addresses, report new power outages, and subscribe for updates. This can be done through the “Check an address” or “Report an outage” functions in the Outage Centre.
Why can’t I report power outages through the Vector App?
The Vector App was taken offline in 2018 after it failed to function properly during a widespread storm in April, and after concerns about its security was raised soon afterwards.

You can find out more information here.

We undertook extensive research and testing to define the best experience for reporting and tracking outages to replace the old app. If you have the old Vector app still installed on your mobile phone, opening this will now link you through directly to the new Outage Centre. Otherwise, you can access the Outage Centre by going to https://help.vector.co.nz/ in your internet browser.
Can I access the Outage Centre through the Vector App on my phone?
If you have the old Vector app still installed on your mobile phone, opening this will now link you directly to the Outage Centre. Otherwise, you can access the Outage Centre by going to https://help.vector.co.nz/ in your internet browser.
Can I download the Outage Centre to my phone?
The Outage Centre is available via your smart phone internet browser at https://help.vector.co.nz, but cannot be downloaded directly to your phone via your app store.

However, some mobile phones will let you pin a webpage to the screen of your phone (instructions are available here) or you can ‘bookmark’ the page in your internet browser.
I want to contact Vector about something other than a power outage.
You can contact us at any time through the Outage Centre by clicking on “Contact Us” and following the directions. Alternatively, you can call us on 0508 VECTOR.
I have further questions.
You can check out the answers to frequently asked questions via the Outage Centre by clicking on “Common Questions.”

You can also let us know your thoughts on the Outage Centre by clicking on “Feedback.”