October 16, 2018
At the peak of last week’s storms, more than 27,000 Ergon Energy customers across the South Burnett and Fraser Coast lost power.
Local repair crews, plus others brought in from other parts of Queensland, got to work repairing the network, often in very difficult situations.
Regional Field Manager (Southern) Max Hogan said it had been an outstanding team effort.
“We mobilised Ergon crews from across the southern region to the impacted areas, while our Energex colleagues also headed north to join us in the field,” he said.
“The persistent heavy rain and the wet, boggy terrain hampered our access into some areas, however we were in the air with helicopters and on the ground with a range of specialised equipment, which enabled us to get to every location necessary to complete the restoration.”
The powerful storm fronts that passed through the region caused significant damage, bringing down powerlines and snapping power poles.
The restoration effort involved damage assessments, making areas safe, removing trees and debris from access tracks, restoring critical community infrastructure and the restoration of supply to customers.
Mr Hogan praised the affected communities for their patience and understanding during the restoration effort.
“Customer understanding of the work involved to restore power has been really positive. They saw the extent of the damage from the storms and have been patient while our crews worked tirelessly to repair the network and restore power,” he said.
“The positive messages people have been sending us through social media have been greatly appreciated by our crews.”
Mr Hogan said it was important to understand that after damage on this scale, local faults can become apparent after network power has been reinstated.
“If customers notice their street or neighbours have power but they don’t, they should let let us know on 13-22-96,” Mr Hogan said.
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