Endeavour Energy flood update - 6 March 2022 - 5:00pm

Endeavour Energy continues to implement its plans to keep communities safe and restore power where possible.

Where flooding has eased along the Upper Nepean River, power was restored to 60 customers between Menangle and Cobbitty yesterday.

Following torrential rain overnight, however, floodwaters across the Hawkesbury region will continue to rise again, with water levels on the Colo River rising at over a metre per hour since early this morning.

With more rain forecast in the next 24 hours, and Warragamba Dam continuing to spill, flooding at Windsor and North Richmond is expected to peak late tomorrow at North Richmond and Windsor.

These changing conditions are hampering power being restored to 1,100 flood affected homes and businesses along the Hawkesbury, Colo and Macdonald Rivers.

These customers have either been isolated for flood safety or where crews cannot access the network due to flooding. In some cases, properties may not be inundated with water, but powerlines upstream from them are flooded.

Our thoughts are with flood affected customers and communities during this challenging time, especially those who have been without power for an extended period for the second time in 12 months.

The safe recovery of power supply to all customers is expected to take most of this coming week after floodwaters subside and roads are repaired and reopened. The safe restoration of power will take time, but we will not stop until the job is done.

To assist affected customers, Endeavour Energy customer service staff have been in North Richmond and Windsor this weekend to provide support and advice about how properties can be safely re-energised after flooding.

Customer safety

Please share these messages amongst family, friends and neighbours, especially in remote areas where telecommunications are limited. As flooding continues, customers are reminded to always put safety first, with a particular focus on the following:

  • portable generators - for people using portable generators, please ensure they are located outside of your home and well away from open windows to avoid deadly exhaust fumes entering your home. Generators should never be connected to switchboards unless there is an isolation switch installed by a licensed electrician. This is to avoid sending electricity back up powerlines and making isolated parts of the network dangerous for workers and the broader community
  • travelling across floodwaters - stay at least 8 metres clear of all powerlines as electricity can jump. You don’t need to touch powerlines to sustain serious injury or be killed if you get too close
  • risk of flooding if your property has water coming into the premises or is at risk of flooding ALWAYS remember:
  • if it is safe to do so, turn electricity off at the main switch on your switchboard before your property becomes inundated or submerged in rising floodwaters (even if your power is already out)
  • remove or relocate all portable electrical appliances away from areas likely to be impacted by water, particularly those on the ground
  • treat all powerlines as 'live' and dangerous by keeping at least 8m clear of them. Never drive across fallen powerlines
  • keep a reliable torch handy as a precaution for any power outages
  • if you have to leave your property, remember to take your phone charger
  • avoid all contact with wires that are hanging low or on the ground, dangling in floodwaters or tangled in trees.

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Published on Mar 6th 2022