I T ● W A S ● N E V E R ● G O I N G ● T O ● H A P P E N
Aurora Energy board chair Steve Thompson should shuffle back under his rock.
DCHL chairman Graham Crombie, mowing lawns at Clyde, has nothing to say.
The largest risk to the Otago Community continues to be Aurora itself.
At Facebook:
### ODT Online Mon, 24 Apr 2017
Aurora sets new date to ‘remove risk’
By Vaughan Elder
Aurora Energy has abandoned a target to have all condition-zero poles replaced by the end of this month, saying it was now on track to “remove the risk” of 2910 poles by the end of this year. […] An Aurora spokesman said it had abandoned its original plan to replace all 1181 condition-zero poles, which are the worst-rated poles on its network, by the end of this month.
“Our target is to remove the risk around 2910 priority poles by the end of the year and we are on track to achieve that. That’s the target we are working towards. The April target was an initial working target before detailed programme planning had been completed.” After being given more than two weeks to respond, the spokesman did not say how many new condition-one and zero poles had been discovered during its fast-track programme, saying: “We don’t have these figures to hand today”.
Read more
The article also says: “Aurora had stepped up customer service support and communication so its customers were informed when power needed to be cut.” As far as we know this support and communication has been seriously deficient in many instances.
█ Customers should check the Aurora website on outage days for cancellations.
http://www.auroraenergy.co.nz/outages/
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At Facebook:
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Related Posts and Comments:
21.4.17 Why would DCC shaft its own company instead of investing in its change and development ?!
14.4.17 Dunedin homes face power blackout #Delta #Aurora
11.3.17 How Safe Are We/Our Businesses with the Corporate Disaster that’s Aurora, owned by DCC ? #reliability
█ For more, enter the terms *aurora*, *delta*, *grady*, *godfrey*, *poles*, *asset management plan*, *dchl*, *auditor-general*, *epicpolefail* or *epic fraud* in the search box at right.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
This post is offered in the public interest.
What if? Dunedin... 
And the show goes on. ‘WorkSafe’ is an ad hoc government business set up I believe after the Pike River disaster. Nothing has come of it except as Richard Healey says, it is a gutless wonder, which ably covers for the likes of Delta/Aurora in their shenanigans of hoodwinking the shareholders. It is quite sickening really that a council-owned company can behave so disastrously over so long a period. As an adjunct, did anyone read in the ODT the comments of our Mayor Dave Cull at the Dunedin March for Science turnout in the Museum Grounds on Saturday?
“Every generation has its flat-earthers,” he said. “Our cross to bear is climate-change deniers.”
“There are decisions to be made and as a city if we want to make sound, evidence-based decisions we need to see our future through the lens of good science.”
Says it all doesn’t it, led by a fool, followed by fools, and the result is what Richard Healey has exposed.
Surely the electricity supply authority cannot accept these self imposed limits?
As to Dave Cull’s remarks about crosses to bear in every generation we have had idiot leaders who have misled, war mongered, destroyed their own countries, robbed the tax and ratepayers and generally acted in ways that history has reviled. We in Dunedin are in such a period now.
“Our cross to bear is climate-change deniers.” Said Dave.
– “I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
Maintaining a faith position AND believing in the importance of good science requires mental dexterity, sometimes unkindly labelled confusion, stupidity, and truth avoidance.
“There are decisions to be made and as a city if we want to make sound, evidence-based decisions we need to see our future through the lens of good science.” Said Dave, and quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle, the magpies said.
….I believe, I do. I believe its true.
I’m a simple guy, I believe.
Oh the building inspector came around,
And he poked his head inside my door
Just as the plaster missed his head
Then he smiled and said,
“Well the building looks quite safe to me.”
And I believe, I do, I believe its true.
I believe exactly what they tell me to.
I believe, I do. I believe its true.
I’m a simple guy, I believe.
The politician told me just the other day,
That he really didn’t want the job at all,
But he would make this sacrifice for me,
If I would only place my trust in him.
And I believe, I do. I believe its true.
I believe exactly what they tell me to….
(Tom Paxton)
Well found Hype, Beautifully put.
In the last verse, there is one anomaly.
Cull has a bike and Little will be riding one soon because of his uncontrollable north and south.
This of course now explains why we have got expensive cycleways, the limousines of the millennials.
Which brings me to another song
“It’s not for You!”
I’m not sure where to post this to get a response, but do you all know there was a power cut affecting a lot of the Taieri Plain last night? It started around 11.30pm and lasted more than an hour. It was too late to make the paper but I expected it to be on the ODT Online site, but I didn’t see it today? Maybe I missed it? Anyone else experience it or hear about it?
Many thanks Farmer, until your mention was unaware of the outage. If no information replies here will seek an answer from Aurora/Delta direct.
Getting well weird now. This afternoon a neighbour phoned.
“I’ve just had a call from the electricity company apologising for the outage last night. I said we hadn’t here. What about you?”
“No, nothing.” Both households alarm clocks and computers were precisely as they should be.
North Dunedin… geographical confusion?
THE MISSING PRESUMED DROWNED energy safety / worksafe FINALLY TURN UP HAVING REPEATEDLY MISSED (ahem) ‘A CONSTRUCTIVE CHAT’ WITH WHISTLEBLOWER RICHARD HEALEY –FOR SOME REASON PERHAPS BEST KNOWN TO LOCAL SUITS, THEIR LAWYERS, DCHL/DCC AND THE WORKPLACE RELATIONS AND SAFETY MINISTER
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Tue, 2 May 2017
ODT: Safety concerns about pole replacements
By Vaughan Elder
….Government agency Energy Safety, which is a part of WorkSafe, issued the conditions last month to make sure Aurora prioritises public safety as it fixes compromised poles across Otago. The conditions were included in an “instruction” supplied to the Otago Daily Times under the Official Information Act (OIA). A representative from Aurora sister company Delta said yesterday the conditions formalised a process it developed and helped ensure its pole programme was carried out safely. In the instruction addressed to Aurora chief executive Grady Cameron, Energy Safety manager Mark Wogan said it was issuing the conditions because of concern the public and workers could be put at risk. “WorkSafe has reasonable grounds to believe that there is increased risk of danger that may result in serious harm to members of the public, and to workers, or significant property damage associated with the fast-track pole programme,” Mr Wogan said. Cont/
█ [Aurora] must report back to WorkSafe every month on its progress on the pole programme.
At Facebook:
I have been watching this whole debacle unfold – bloody unbelievable in its scale and how those that orchestrated it have in the main walked free with seemingly no loss of position or status. It has cost Grady Cameron his job and rightly so. If you get the big bucks and all the praise when things are going right, you have to suffer the consequences if you stuff up – and it has become clear that he did. I can’t help but wonder if there is a story within the story though. He must have known the continued underspending on maintenance and replacement would catch up with him in the end, so why put yourself in that position? Its seems like business management 101!! Was there outside forces at play? Was someone else leaning on Delta with such force that made him make those decisions?
And while on the subject of power distribution, has anybody shed any more light (excuse the pun!!) on the outage 2 nights ago. It affected a large part of the Taieri including the airport, Outram and at least some of Mosgiel. And not a peep in the media – that I have seen.
Farmer, the Board of Directors for Aurora/Delta are fully in the searchlight of Responsibility – as is the chair of DCHL. The most recent longest serving A/D Director, Mr McLauchlan, has been present for all supposed governance decisions…. but particularly, for the huge losses incurred at Jacks Point, Luggate and the simultaneous Yaldhurst property speculations which took place as a result of the CCTO 50% rule – Delta had to find other business besides servicing Aurora’s network. Long story but it will come out, as will the facts about the crippling and disgusting lack of responsibility for Otago’s power network, and where all the money went – not just on propping up the stadium project or DCC dividends. All those private pockets.
Nothing as yet about the Taieri outage. An email query to Vaughan Elder at ODT would be a good place to start.
Wed, 24 May 2017
ODT: No decision to prosecute Aurora
By Vaughan Elder
Worksafe is yet to decide whether it will prosecute Aurora Energy over the state of its power poles. WorkSafe has been looking into Aurora and its sister company Delta since October over accusations dangerous power poles across Dunedin, Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes were putting the public at risk. The government entity gave fresh details about its audit of the two companies in response to an Official Information Act request from the Otago Daily Times. WorkSafe high hazards and energy safety general manager Wayne Vernon said it had completed an “initial” audit of a sample of the network’s assets and provided a report to Aurora. […] “WorkSafe has not to date made a decision to prosecute or not to prosecute Aurora over health and safety issues associated with the state of its poles.” Mr Vernon emphasised prosecution was one of many options available to it, which also included issuing instructions to remove or minimise the potential for danger and issuing an infringement notice. Cont/
“Overall, the planning period will be characterised by the delivery of the largest work programme in Aurora Energy’s history.” –Steve Thompson
Wed, 24 May 2017
Aurora plans $720m upgrade of network
By Vaughan Elder
Aurora Energy has unveiled a $720 million plan to upgrade its ageing electricity network over the next decade. The plan is a more than $300 million increase on the 10-year plan the Dunedin City Council owned company released last year. […] In a press release this afternoon, Aurora Energy said the plan would have an extensive impact on the region’s economy through job creation and spill-over benefits to other businesses. […] Other major projects included a new substation at Carisbrook, which would replace the 60-year-old Neville St substation by 2019 and a new Wanaka substation on Riverbank Rd, Wanaka. […] Aurora Energy chairman Steve Thompson said an additional $81 million would be spent on growth and security of supply projects to support the region. […] The remaining expenditure was tagged to maintenance and operating expenditure ($192 million), and capital expenditure primarily related to new consumer connections and safety and reliability ($101 million). Cont/
Looks like there will be a bit of a blowout in the consolidated debt schedule. $600million is going to become small beans compared with what it might become. Dave Cull will be scrambling to try and keep a lid on the “best little Town in the world” at this rate. Has to be done of course, but if you are going to spend up to the tune of $623million and at the same time take monies from the CCOs as either subvention payments or tax paid dividends to fritter away on Stadiums, Convention Centres, New Museums, Aquatic Centres and Cycleways, ignoring the infrastructure then the headaches will come. One of the problems of democracy, I’m afraid.
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