Power Outage Proves Costly
Hundreds of businesses in a 120-block area of this northern port city are “fighting for their lives,” the mayor says, because of a power outage that has plagued the city since Feb. 20.
Smith and Caughey, Auckland’s premier downtown department store, was forced to close for the first time in 118 years, although it has reopened.
The power outage is costing businesses an estimated $60 million a week, even though emergency generators have reinstated about half the power supply. Full power should be restored in five to 10 weeks, said Mercury Energy, the city’s provider.
Mayor Les Mills has said the crisis could put 2,000 companies out of business.
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