Endeavour Energy Flood Update 21 March 2021 – 6:30PM

This is an important public safety measure we must take ahead of predicted peak flood levels around midday Monday. We have advised customers in these areas via SMS message this afternoon to prepare for extended power cuts in the event that flood waters reach expected peak levels tomorrow.

Customers who need power for home medical equipment are asked to fully charge their batteries now and be ready act on their back up plans.

All customers who may be impacted by power outages and/or flooding should charge their mobile phone, pack their recharger and prepare to be evacuated when asked to by the SES. Prior to evacuating, please disconnect electrical appliances in your home and turn off the main switch at your switchboard before in case they are submerged.

To keep customers and emergency service workers safe, power was isolated earlier today to 500 properties in parts of the following suburbs where evacuation orders have been issued: Agnes Banks, Castlereagh, Central Colo, Cobbitty, Colo, Cornwallis, Ebenezer, Freemans Reach, Laughtondale, Lower Portland, North Richmond, Pitt Town Bottoms, Upper Colo and Yarramundi.

There are currently 700 homes and businesses without power in parts of Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands where large trees have fallen over powerlines after the torrential rain destabilised their root systems.

Customers travelling in flooded areas are reminded to be alert to possible submerged power lines and treat them as live.

If you see a damaged or fallen powerline, stay at least 8 metres clear and report it to Endeavour Energy immediately on 131 003, or emergency services on 000.

Helpful contacts:

• For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500
• Flood safety www.ses.nsw.gov.au
• Weather forecasts and warnings www.bom.gov.au
• Radio updates www.abc.net.au
• Traffic conditions and flood impacts www.emergency.nsw.gov.au.

Electrical safety during floods

1. Before flooding
When a flood warning is issued:

• remove or relocate electric pumps and portable appliances away from estimated flood heights
• check that you have a working torch, keep your mobile phone charged and add a battery-operated radio to your evacuation kit
• know the location of the main switch in your meter box
• switch off electricity to non-essential circuits before they are submerged in rising floodwaters.

2. Evacuation
If you are asked to evacuate by emergency services:

• switch off all appliances in your home
• cut off all electricity to your household by turning off the main switch or removing fuses at the main switchboard. This is required even if you have been advised that all power has been cut off to your area.

3. Moving through a flooded area
Treat all power lines as ALIVE and DANGEROUS:

• keep at least 8 metres clear from all power lines. Be aware of low hanging or submerged power lines, powerlines on the ground, dangling in flood water or tangled in trees.
• do not drive across fallen power lines
• look up and be aware of reduced distances between your boat and overhead power lines in flooded rivers.

4. After a flood
When returning home, Endeavour Energy must inspect the main switchboard and meters of areas that have been flooded before power is restored.  Until that happens:

• do not use electrical appliances which have been in floodwaters
• do not handle any wet electrical equipment
• do not replace circuit fuses or restore power to a household which has been flooded until your home has thoroughly dried out and been checked by a licensed electrician.