AUKLAND, New Zealand -- Efforts to restore power to New Zealand's largest city failed again yesterday, forcing energy officials to predict that downtown Auckland may suffer through a blackout for 10 more weeks.

Merchants estimate they are losing $60 million a week as a result of the failure of four power cables supplying electricity to Auckland from a hydroelectric plant south of the city.

Two cables repaired by city utility Mercury Energy failed when tested yesterday, the 12^th day of a power outage. It will take 10 weeks to run a new cable into the downtown area.

"I said 10 days ago it was a dark time -- `it is much darker now," Mercury Energy chief executive Wayne Gilbert said. "We deeply regret this situation. There is no apology great enough and I realize th8s will be absolutely devastating for our customers, as it is for us."

Downtown Auckland has been nearly a ghost town since Feb. 20, when the last of the four underground cables stressed by a heat wave went down. The first cable failed Jan 22.

This city of 1 million people has grown for years -- but growth has outstripped its infrastructure. When the strained cables started breaking down, power company Mercury Energy had no backup system.

The latest news means disaster for some small businesses, Auckland Chamber of Commerce chairman Michael Barnett said.

"Quite frankly, some of the owners of small ones have said they will be better to walk away from their businesses -- that's the breakdown of the fabric of the central Auckland business district," Barnett said.

Some downtown blocks have been completely without power, except for emergency diesel generators keeping hospitals, traffic lights and other vital services running.

In other blocks, only 10 percent of normal power is reaching the area. Residents and businesses there have rationed the emergency power, getting electricity a few hours each day.

The 5,000 people who live in the central city have had limited lighting, cooking and showering; offices have been unable to power computers, lights, and elevators.

Many inner city business (sic) have either relocated to temporary premises or are using stand-by generators.