Toodyay power restoration begins
Release Date: 31 December 2009
Western Power commenced power restoration in Toodyay last night and this morning once it was given access to fire affected areas. The fire damaged equipment and caused nearly 500 customers to lose power. Over half of those customers have now had power restored and Western Power will work over the next week replacing 120 poles and 55 transformers. Currently 200 customers are without power.
Western Power expects to turn more customers back on from Friday when one of the main powerlines has been reconstructed. Western Power estimates that 80% of customers will be restored by Sunday 3 January, with the remaining customers reconnected by Tuesday 5 January.
Western Power Managing Director, Mr Doug Aberle said multiple crews from regional and metropolitan areas have been dispatched to the area and will work throughout the long weekend to replace damaged infrastructure and restore power.
“Western Power will use independent fire and wood investigators to further examine the site. Their findings will be part of the Energy Safety report into the fire expected to be delivered on January 22.
Western Power will be providing assistance to the local community via its information caravan, which will provide details of power restoration times. The caravan is set up on the corner of Stirling Terrace and Piesse Street in Toodyay.
Suggestions have been raised about the possibility of replacing wood poles with steel in the wake of events such as the Toodyay bushfire.
“Western Power has investigated using steel poles in its network and after extensive studies has determined that wood poles remain the best overall material, in these circumstances, for distribution poles.
“Steel poles are susceptible to fire, as is wood, and in a bushfire such as the one in Toodyay, the metal could weaken and buckle causing the pole to fail. Steel poles are not used extensively in Western Power’s network due to issues with earthing, corrosion and the high costs of installation, which can be more than three times the cost of wood poles. Steel poles also have similar maintenance requirements to wood poles and are vulnerable to failure.
(ENDS)
Media Contact – Marisa Chapman 1300 139 240
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