The country has just four weeks before severe power cutbacks will be needed.

Only extensive rain flowing into the South Island's hydro lakes will avert extensive cutbacks - but signs are that wintery weather headed that way will drop snow, not rain.

In developments yesterday:

* Civil Defence chiefs met in Auckland and urged the Government to implement an energy-savings campaign early.

* Meridian Energy warned that any "glitch" at Huntly's thermal power station this winter would plunge the country into an electricity crisis. ... Read full article