Protecting New Zealand’s energy infrastructure

Cyclone Gabrielle and Cyclone Tam highlighted the vulnerability of electricity infrastructure to severe weather events like storms and floods. During Cyclone Gabrielle alone, trees outside the Growth Limit Zone (GLZ - a designated area around power lines which trees are not allowed to grow into) caused power outages that left 68,000 households without heating, lighting, internet and access to essential appliances.

Amendments to the regulations will lower the risk to power lines from trees that are outside the GLZ. The changes will also:

• Enable lines owners to assess the likelihood and potential impact of a fall for trees they consider could be a risk to lines, then issue a Treefall Hazard Notice for moderate- and high-risk trees.
• Restrict the planting of new trees on land that is not already forested outside of urban areas.

Read the Minister’s announcement:

Protecting New Zealand's energy infrastructure(external link) —Beehive.govt.nz