Area weathers power storm

By Jim Mynard
EXTREME weather conditions have been blamed for power outages in the Berwick district.
Berwick businessman Jim Drysdale said the power was out from 8pm on Sunday, 22 January for four hours, and last Thursday for seven hours from 4pm.
He said his home was in the Howell Drive area, and some sections of the area were out while others still had power.
Emma DanielEdwards, a spokesperson for electricity supplier SP Ausnet, said extreme weather conditions had caused the breakdowns, but regulations prevented the company from using its ‘auto reclose’ system to switch power into the area.
However, Edrington Ward councillor Brian Hetherton did not agree on Monday evening when the power failed again on a quiet night.
Cr Hetherton said the power went out twice, but only for a few seconds each time.
“There must be something wrong because there were no high winds or electric storms about,” he said.
“This is frustrating for people when they are working on their computers.
“You just have to keep saving your work because you can’t rely on a steady power supply.
Ms DanielEdwards said the power company understood the impact a power outage could have on residents and businesses in the area.
She said, however, that crews worked hard to ensure power was returned as soon as possible.
“In the extreme weather conditions, particularly the total fire ban on Sunday and Thursday, we put safety and the Country Fire Authority’s requirements first,” she said.
“In some areas we were required to switch off our auto reclose system in case a tree blown across a line in the storm sparked to cause a fire.
“This resulted in our crews having to patrol all the lines before restoring power to ensure nothing across a line could cause a fire.
“This can take some time particularly as some areas are difficult to access.
“Due to the unusual circumstances of the week, this meant that some areas might have experienced delays in the resumption of power.”
Ms DanielEdwards said this was necessary in order to ensure community safety.
“We thank the community for its assistance and patience last week, and hope to not see such extreme weather again for a long time,” she said.