Ergon Energy releases Cyclone Jasper Restoration Plan

This morning (15 December) Ergon’s Chief Operating Officer Paul Jordon said power had already been restored to 25,000 customers and the release of a comprehensive Restoration Plan today would help people waiting to be reconnected to make decisions by giving them an estimated restoration timeframe.

“We have updated the estimated restoration time for outages on our Outage Finder as our crews continue to assess the damage, repair the network and safely reconnect customers across the cyclone zone.

“While our aim is to have network supply available to 80% of impacted customers by tomorrow night and all customers restored by next Tuesday night where safe to do so, this may be further impacted by continued rain and additional damage to our network.

“Flooding has cut access to some damage sites and severe weather will continue to pose challenges for our crews, who are working hard in tough conditions to get the power back on to their communities as soon as practically possible,” Mr Jordon said.

Crews from across the State have joined their Ergon mates in Far North Queensland for the marathon restoration effort.

“The local crews have really broken the back of it and they are now being supported by a convoy of crews and vehicles from depots across Queensland.

“From cyclones and floods to bushfires, we are accustomed to responding to emergencies and have a wealth of experience in our ranks to support our communities and help them on the road to recovery after a disaster,” Mr Jordon said.

Safety remains the top priority and Ergon is reminding everyone to be aware of fallen powerlines during the clean-up.
“Fallen powerlines can be difficult to see when they are tangled up in tree branches or in floodwaters. If you see fallen powerlines, stay well away, report them to Ergon on 13 16 70 and warn others in the area.

“If you are using a generator, always use it in a well-ventilated area outdoors and never connect it directly to your home via a GPO or similar.

“Electricity and water don’t mix so if you are affected by floods stay well away from any electrical equipment, including your switchboard or solar PV system,” Mr Jordon said.

Anyone with cyclone or flood damage to their home or business will need to arrange an inspection by a licenced electrical contractor before their property can be safely reconnected to the electricity network.

MORE INFORMATION: Visit our Tropical Cyclone Jasper web page.