Cold snap pushes NZ's electricity use to record high for second day

New Zealand has broken its winter electricity use record for a second straight day as freezing temperatures drove power use even higher this morning. Average electricity use reached 7415MW during this morning's peak, surpassing yesterday's record of 7247MW by 168MW — roughly equivalent to the electricity used by Hamilton. Transpower chief executive James Kilty said the combination of bitterly cold temperatures and low wind conditions had placed significant pressure on the electricity system, particularly in the upper North Island. "The very cold temperatures across the motu, and particularly in the top of the North Island, combined with low wind meant that while it was particularly tight on the electricity system, the power stayed on for Kiwis," he said. Auckland experienced <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/08/06/north-island-town-registers-near-record-low-as-cold-snap-bites/">its coldest day in five years on Thursday</a> - with -2.5C recorded at Whenuapai Airport, while Mount Cook airport recorded a low of –10C this morning.