Power update 3 September 9:30am

Power has been restored to over 38,000 homes and businesses in the Endeavour Energy network after strong winds caused extensive damage across the Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven, Illawarra, Blue Mountains, and Western Sydney yesterday.

Recovery efforts overnight and this morning are focussed on restoring the remaining 6,800 customers still without power.

Bushfire defence settings on the network have been deactivated as weather conditions have improved, and a Total Fire Ban is not in effect today. This will help the recovery process.

Our aim is to have power restored to most affected homes and businesses by late tonight, but there are over 300 electrical hazards created by the storm still needing to be addressed.

This may mean some isolated customers, particularly in remote areas, may experience longer outages due to the extensive damage caused by fallen trees bringing down powerlines in many locations.

Safety First: Customers in storm affected areas are reminded to stay at least 8 metres away from any fallen powerlines. Treat all powerlines as 'live' and dangerous, and never drive across fallen powerlines!

We appreciate your patience and understanding as work continues to keep everyone safe as we clean up the storm damage and restore power across multiple regions.

What customers can do to stay safe:

• Please stay at least 8 metres away from any fallen powerlines. Treat all powerlines as 'live' and dangerous. Never drive across fallen powerlines!
• Report fallen powerlines immediately by calling us 24/7 on 131 003.
• Avoid all contact with wires that are hanging low, on the ground or tangled in trees and other storm debris.
• For life-threatening emergencies call 000.
• For emergency and rescue assistance call NSW SES on 132 500.
• Find estimated power restoration times at www.endeavourenergy.com.au/outage
• If you or anyone living at your home need power for home medical equipment, check your battery supply and consider acting on your back up plan. Contact us now on 131 003 to register for life support.