Statement on the Storm in Bradfield

I spoke this morning to Rob Amphlett Lewis, Chief Customer Officer at Ausgrid, regarding the continuing power outages affecting many homes in Bradfield after Tuesday’s storm.

I passed on the concerns of constituents who have been contacting my office about the time it is taking for the power to be restored.

As at 8 am this morning Ausgrid estimated that 9,500 premises remained without power in the affected areas following Tuesday’s storm.  Mr Amphlett Lewis informs me that around 6,400 of those premises are in Bradfield.

Ausgrid now has some 700 crews working to restore power to the remaining affected premises, including crews from Ausgrid as well as crews from Essential Energy and Endeavour Energy (which operate electricity networks in other parts of NSW).  Ausgrid is also using subcontractors such as Lend Lease to ensure that it deploys all available resources.  The crews are working up to sixteen hour days and doing sequential shifts – that is, they are working as intensely as they possibly can while meeting health and safety requirements.

Mr Amphlett Lewis informs me that Ausgrid aims to have ‘all but a handful of premises’ reconnected by Sunday evening, with work of course continuing beyond that point until all premises are reconnected to the network.

For further information and updates please visit ausgrid.com.au; to report a power outage or hazard call 13 13 88; for other issues call 13 13 65. 

Ausgrid’s website also gives information about whether you are eligible to make a claim for loss or damage due to the power outage, and if so how to make a claim.

Paul Fletcher