New Zealanders are being urged to save power by doing things such as washing dishes by hand and turning off lights when they are not needed. After two years of dry weather, the lakes that drive New Zealand’s hydroelectric plants are at worryingly low levels and some are concerned that the country may face power cuts in the near future.

However energy minister, David Parker, has denied claims of rolling power cuts but has urged households to try and cut their electricity consumption, particularly during peak times.

Hydroelectric power stations normally produce around three quarters of New Zealand’s electricity. In recent weeks, this figure has fallen to just 50 percent thanks to a lack of rain across the country. Coal, diesel and gas-fired power plants are trying to make up the electricity short-fall, but should the percentage contributed by the hydroelectric plants fall further, and combined with the arrival of winter in the southern hemisphere, many believe that many will experience power outages.

Politicians have insisted that the power crisis is not an emergency, however they are asking people to be more vigilant over their power usage.

The situation is not unusual in New Zealand – in 2001, 2003 and 2006, the public were urged to save power, and in each instance, rain fell in time to stave off any major power threats. The last serious power shortage was in 1992 when street lighting was rationed, households had hot water restriction, and businesses had to use liquid petroleum gas and diesel.

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