Problems with power surges

Press, 30 December 1988, Page 7

Problems with power surges

Some Trustßank Canterbury customers could not get a computer account balance yesterday because of power surges associated with the Port Hills fire on Wednesday. Several big power surges caused as the fire engulfed power pylons had "corrupted” (erased) the bank’s computer data base, said the assistant general manager, Mr Roy Young. Trustßank Computer, Ltd staff spent all day feeding information for thousands of accounts back into the computer from the original disk file, he said.

The computer fault meant customers had been unable to receive a balance for their accounts

when withdrawing or depositing money. The problem was rectified about 3 p.m.

Unemployment or sickness benefit payments made yesterday would have been unaffected by the power cut. Domestic purposes benefit payments would be made today as usual.

Those beneficiaries who had a record of regular weekly payments should not have had problems.

Those who had problems should call the Social Welfare Department for a printout record of their payments, said the department’s acting assistant director of benefits and pensions, Mr Mervyn Brown.