Storms that hit Sydney overnight and Thursday morning have had an effect across the city, knocking power out in some areas. Energy distributor Ausgrid is still working to restore electricity in these locations.
Extra crews have been deployed to address electrical hazards and repair damaged poles and cables. Residents should remain 8 metres from any fallen wires.
1. Look outside for damage
Know what to do in case of a power outage it’s crucial for anyone experiencing one to be prepared and know exactly how they will respond if a blackout occurs, whether due to extreme weather or internal issues.
Sydney power lines were knocked over and uprooted by strong winds, while trees fell onto homes and blocked roads, causing damage and temporarily closing roads – including L2 Randwick line after it temporarily closed after one fell on Wansey Road.
Boggabri residents experienced hailstones larger than golf balls and winds up to 100km/h, while also experiencing strong winds that reached 110 mph.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather alert for northern NSW, with heavy rain and strong winds forecast for Saturday into Sunday and the potential risk of flash flooding. To be prepared, it’s wise to restrict fresh food consumption, stock up on non-perishable goods, keep your fridge and freezer closed, as well as monitor news alerts from electricity providers.
2. Stay away from fallen powerlines
Power outages can be inconvenient and potentially hazardous, yet there are steps you can take to mitigate the damage of sudden blackouts. Always assume fallen powerlines are live and stay at least 10 metres away; this represents the minimum safe distance and represents an increased risk of electrocution.
If a powerline falls onto your vehicle, remain inside until given the go-ahead from emergency personnel. Doing this is safest because you won’t come into direct contact with the ground surface.
NSW State Emergency Service (SES) responded to over 2,250 incidents during Friday’s severe storms that struck Sydney, such as fallen trees, damaged properties and downed powerlines. Sydney metro zone callouts topped 250 incidents throughout the day and regional areas have also seen many trees brought down along with powerlines that have toppled; leading to some incidents where powerlines caused injuries to individuals.
3. Report the outage
Power outages never occur at an ideal time; whether that means watching your favorite show on television or halfway through running the washing machine! But when they occur, it is crucial that they be reported immediately so your energy distributor can make the area safe and rectify the fault quickly bringing back power for everyone involved.
EnergyAustralia customers can utilize their online outage finder to track power interruptions in their area. Simply visit their website and click on “outages”, or contact their network service centre by dialling 13 33 23.
Regional Queenslanders should contact Ergon Energy at 13 22 96 to report power outages or faults; South Australians can call SA Power Networks on 13 13 66 for this service; Tasmanians can call their electricity distributor (1300 787 963); however if your issue relates to your switchboard you’ll need to contact a licensed electrician directly.
4. Contact Ausgrid
Sydney remains without power this morning following super cell thunderstorms which struck NSW overnight, according to energy provider Ausgrid. These powerful storms brought with them strong winds which uprooted trees and caused power lines to be downed, according to Ausgrid. This morning thousands of Sydney homes remain without electricity following these major events.
Ausgrid customers were left without power in Barangaroo, Wynyard and Martin Place after a water main burst and inundated an underground power station, prompting crews to assess and repair damage. Ausgrid estimates power restoration will take at least most of today.
Residents can report power outages and electrical hazards directly to Endeavour Energy or Ausgrid by dialling 131 003. Ausgrid operates, maintains, and builds the electricity network that powers 1.7 million homes and businesses in Sydney’s metropolitan area – including regional towns like Newcastle and Hunter – using over 49,000km of overhead and underground powerlines, half a million poles, 45 subtransmission substations, customer connections services, street lighting systems and metering services.
