Update - Power outages across western Victoria | CitiPower & Powercor (2024)

As at 10.45am, Thursday29 August

Powercor has restored power to more than 20,000 customers across western and central Victoria following yesterday’s severe windstorm.

Field crews are continuing to repair damaged power lines, poles and other infrastructure and are working to restore power to 320 customers without supply.

The hardest hit areas are in the Colac and Otway region, with crews from Ballarat and Warrnambool deployed to the region to support local crews.

We are deploying drones to inspect parts of the power network in and around Carlisle River and Gellibrand, where the difficult terrain can make it challenging to patrol.

We would remind people to stay well away from fallen powerlines, always assume they are live and report them to us immediately on 13 24 12.

A generator is now located in Apollo Bay (pictured below) and a second generator will be transported to the town. While power was restored to Apollo Bay last night, the generators will be on standby and available if further outages occur over coming days.

Later today, our Mobile Emergency Response Vehicle (known as MERV) will be providing on-the-ground advice to community members impacted by outages. MERV will provide people a place to charge mobile phones and other devices, a wifi hot spot, coffee and information about the current situation.

We will notify the community of the exact location later this morning.

This has been a difficult time for many customers and we want to thank them for their patience and understanding as we work to repair the network and get power back on.

We have information available on our website about steps customers can take to reconnect power if their supply on their premises has been damaged during this storm.

Visitwww.Powercor.com.au/emergency

Update - Power outages across western Victoria | CitiPower & Powercor (1)

As at 7pm, Wednesday 28 August

Our Geelong crews are currently on their way to Apollo Bay with two 1250KVA HV generators after today’s wild weather impacted the area.

Destructive winds brought down trees over powerlines that supply the town and surrounding region and while crews are currently working on repairing the extensive damage, power outages will continue. Currently more than 5,500 customers in the region are without power.

The two generators will supply power to some critical infrastructure within Apollo Bay and we hope to have them connected later tonight.

Thanks to all customers for their patience and understanding following the severe weather.

As at 3.30pm, Wednesday 28 August

Powercor teams are working to restore power to more than 6,400 homes and businesses as wild winds continue to batter parts of Victoria and cause damage to the electricity network.

The destructive winds are bringing down branches, trees and other debris over powerlines and damaging other electrical assets.

In one case, we have had a report of a shed blowing into a high voltage line in Camperdown and leading to an outage.

We have deployed extra crews into the field to repair damaged infrastructure and get power back on safely and quickly. At this stage, we are responding to over 100 separate fault jobs, including 20 fallen powerlines.

Update - Power outages across western Victoria | CitiPower & Powercor (2) Update - Power outages across western Victoria | CitiPower & Powercor (3)

The hardest hit area is in our southern region and southwest coast, with wind gusts up to 120kmh recorded. We are working to get power back on to 5,677 customers in the region and are moving crews from other areas into the area to support our response. One of the outages, impacting 1,220 customers, was caused by a car hitting a pole in Gellibrand.

If people do see a fallen powerline, they should stay well away from them and report them to us immediately on 13 24 12. Please always assume a powerline is live.

Due to the large volumes of faults and complexity of some of the damage, restoration times will be longer than usual. At this stage, some customers may be without power into tomorrow.

We will keep customers updatedvia SMSand ouroutage map.

As at 8.15am, Wednesday 28 August

Powercor crews are working to restore power to more than 800 customers as destructive winds push through Victoria.

Overnight and this morning, wind gusts up to 120km/hr have been recorded in parts of the network, with the wild winds bringing down trees and branches onto power poles, wires and other infrastructure.

Our crews are responding to more than 40 individual jobs, with the hardest hit area along Victoria’s southern region and along the south-west coast.

If people see a fallen powerline, they should always stay more than 10 metres away from them and report them to us immediately on 13 24 12.

Throughout today, we’re expecting these severe winds to continue battering western and central Victoria and we’re urging people to take steps to prepare for power outages now.

We will continue to keep people updatedvia SMSand theoutage map.

Over the past few days, we’ve been monitoring these extreme weather conditions and have extra crews, control room operators, customer centre representatives and other resources responding as we focus on getting power back on to our customers as safely and as quickly as possible.

Advice for preparing for power outages

Be Safe.

  • Have a back-up plan ready if you rely on life support equipment or need electrical items to care for babies, the disabled, elderly or pets.
  • Plan to keep food safe. Set your fridge to 5 degrees (5oC) or below. An unopened fridge will keep food for about four hours.
  • Have plenty of drinking water available if your supply relies on power.

Be Smart.

  • Download the VicEmergency app and keep emergency phone numbers handy.
  • Know how to connect computers and tablets to your mobile phone’s hotspot.
  • Back-up computer files.
  • Know how to open electric garage doors and gates manually.

Be Ready.

  • Charge mobile phones, laptops and portable back-up batteries.
  • If you have a rooftop solar system or a battery, check that it is able to operate in a power outage.
  • If you plan to use a diesel generator, make sure it’s fully fuelled, operational and that you know how to safely operate it.
  • Have a battery-powered radio available for real time news updates.
  • Keep battery-powered lamps or torches handy.
Update - Power outages across western Victoria | CitiPower & Powercor (2024)

FAQs

Who pays for spoiled food when power goes out in Victoria? ›

Distributors do not automatically have to compensate for food loss resulting from an outage. Generally, spoilt food will only be considered payable under the EDCoP if the appliance storing the food is damaged as a result of the power surge.

How long do most power outages last? ›

Outages typically last 1-2 hours.

How to claim power outage compensation in Victoria? ›

Contact the electricity distributor in your area and ask them for a claim form. You usually have to prove the loss or damage, so make sure you keep receipts, photographs and any other documentation until the claims process has been completed.

How long can food last in the fridge without power? ›

As the USDA notes in Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power.

Should you unplug the fridge during a power outage? ›

Turn off and unplug small appliances

Televisions, computer equipment, game consoles, fans, lights and all other smaller appliances should be unplugged, especially if they were in use when the power went out. Larger appliances, such as refrigerators, should not be unplugged.

How to keep a fridge cold without power? ›

Buy dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an 18 cubic foot, fully stocked freezer cold for two days.

How to save food in the fridge during a power outage? ›

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. The refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours. If the power is off longer, you can transfer food to a cooler and fill with ice or frozen gel packs. Make sure there is enough ice to keep food in the cooler at 40°F or below.

Can I shower during a power outage? ›

Can I Shower When the Power Is Out? To shower when the power is out, your home needs a traditional tank-style water heater. If that water heater still has hot water in reserve, then you can take a warm shower. If you plan to take a shower, you need to do it soon after the power goes out.

What state loses power the most? ›

The U.S. States with the Most and Least Power Outages

With the most annual power outages, Maine is surely left in the dark. The Pine Tree State tops the list with an average of 4.35 power outages every year, a stark increase above the national average of 1.62 per year.

How much is the power outage support payment in Victoria? ›

Payments for one 7-day period for eligible customers will be $1,920. The maximum payment that can be made to an eligible residential customer affected by a prolonged power outage is $5,760.

Who pays for power surge damage in Victoria? ›

If you experienced a power outage of more than 12 hours or if equipment or appliances were damaged as a result of a power surge or voltage variation, you may be eligible for compensation from your electricity distributor.

Can I claim a lost food power outage in Victoria? ›

Compensation claims resulting from voltage variations

Customers can also lodge a compensation claim for damaged property or food spoilage resulting from an unauthorised voltage variation event (which can be experienced during a power surge). Claim forms can be found on the distributors' websites: AusNet Services.

How do you check if the power is off? ›

Use a receptacle voltage tester by plugging the device into the outlet. The lights on the device will come on to indicate the presence of a live electrical current. Test an electrical outlet with a non-contact voltage tester by holding the tester about an inch away from the short slot on the outlet.

How do you say there is no electricity in my area? ›

We also say: The electricity went out. The electric lines are down.

How do I check my PG&E outage by address? ›

Step 1: Go to PG&E Outage Center to search for an address. Step 2: If an outage is affecting the address, you will see the option to "Get outage updates." Click this link. Step 3: Enter the phone or email where you would like to get alerts.

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