Severe weather wipes out power to Broken Hill and the Far West
The outback city of Broken Hill was left powerless last week, after a viscous storm on Wednesday evening up-rooted several transmission towers along the 220,000 volt line carrying the Far West’s main power supply.
A temporary power fix has been put in place, with a Transgrid diesel generator now supplying power to about 10,000 Broken Hill customers, and generators also being used in the outlying towns and station properties in the areas of Silverton, Menindee, Sunset Strip, Wilcannia, White Cliffs, Tibooburra, Cockburn, Milparinka and Packsaddle.
To help maintain the region’s temporary power supply, Essential Energy has asked the customers to switch off non-essential appliances in the evenings, like pool pumps, washing machine and dishwashers, to minimise cooling use and turn off lights that aren’t being used. At the time of publishing (Monday Oct 21, 6pm), Transgrid’s generator had reportedly “tripped”, leaving Broken Hill resident’s powerless once again.
Underground mining has ceased until power is restored, which could take up to two weeks.
Roxby Down’s Olympic Dam mine was also closed for a short time last week, following storm related power disruptions on Thursday. In the upper Flinders Ranges, areas surrounding Leigh Creek and Hawker were still without power as of 5pm today (Monday), with schools remaining closed.
