Weather conditions have been favourable in parts of Northern NSW this morning (Saturday, 8 March) giving way for Essential Energy crews to get out to start accessing the damage and begin restoring the power where safe to do so.
‘As at 11am, there are just over 42,600 homes and businesses without power in various communities between Tweed Heads and Grafton due to the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred,’ said a spokesperson for Essential Energy.
The severe winds and heavy rain have left a path of fallen trees and vegetation debris that will need to be cleaned up before powerlines can be accessed or repaired. At this stage, there has not been any major damage to zone substations and flood waters have not reached any of Essential Energy’s depots.
Weather conditions are predicted to deteriorate this afternoon and into the evening that is expected to bring more rain and hamper electricity restoration efforts.
Crews will continue to make repairs when conditions are safe enough to do so. Additional crews are on standby to assist with the cleanup and restoration efforts once ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred has cleared.
If flood waters impact communities, it will lengthen the time before power can be restored. Crews are unable to turn the power on safely if powerlines or areas of the network are in contact with water.
We understand that this is a very challenging time for our customers and we thank you for your patience and understanding. The safety of our crews and our communities is paramount.
If you need to evacuate for flood purposes, if safe to do so, please turn off all switches and mains before the flood goes through, this includes solar and/or battery systems.
For information about evacuation centres in your area, please visit the NSW SES website.
Throughout the storm, customers should look out for indicators of potential damage to the electricity network, such as:
- Fallen powerlines or power poles on land or in water
- flickering or no power supply
- burnt areas in paddocks or roadsides
- injured or downed livestock
- smoke or fallen trees
If you see any of the above or powerlines in water, please stay away and call Essential Energy on 13 20 80 to report the damage. In an emergency always call 000.
For up-to-date information on impacted locations and estimated restoration times (when known), visit our website outages page.
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