A scheme is being trialled in the South Island that could have prevented recent power cuts in Auckland and Northland.
The problems on 25 January began with a fire underneath transmission wires and were aggravated by lightning strikes.
The new system is called interruptible load, which means extending ripple control that cuts people's hot water systems to other, such as irrigation systems or energy intensive factories.
Transpower chief executive Patrick Strange has told an electricity conference that the January crisis came close to being managed.
Dr Strange said that with another 5% spare capacity, no-one's power would have been cut off against their will - and he thinks interruptible load would have achieved that.
A North Island trial of the scheme will be announced within a month.
