UPDATED 11.20AM: The lights are back on in Gisborne and surrounding areas.

Power has been restored to most the region after a planned outage this morning so the final repairs to powerlines brought down by a fatal plane crash could be made.

Farmer Air pilot George Peter Anderson, 37, and loader driver, Robert Solouota, 49, both of Gisborne, died in the crash near Hangaroa on December 12.

Eastland Network turned off power at 6am this morning so about 20 specialists and contractors could make the final repairs to the lines.

READ MORE: Two killed in plane crash, power cut to Gisborne