North Queensland Floods Update - 11 February

AFTERNOON UPDATE

Ergon Energy crews have safely restored network supply to 84 properties at Paluma, where isolated residents have been without power for over a week.

Yesterday raging rapids over a road prevented crews from accessing critical equipment needed to isolate a section of network badly damaged by a landslide.

We had another shot today and the lights are now as bright as the smiles on the faces of the people at Paluma.

Thanks to the team in our control room and crews in the field who work in tandem to switch the power back on.

PHOTO: Operations lead Nick Grant and network controller Scott Ryan in the Network Control Centre

MORNING UPDATE

It has been one step forward, two steps back for our crews and customers in the flood zone.

By 8pm last night our crews had restored power to all but 250 customers in areas where access was cut by floodwaters, including 84 properties at Paluma.

We then had further faults on two feeder lines that supply areas where power had already been restored and by this morning there were several hundred customers without power in the flood zone.

We have switched the power off to more than 300 customers at Abergowrie, Hawkins Creek, Lannercost, Long Pocket for emergency repairs. Crews are replacing a burnt transformer pole on Abergowrie Road at Lannercost.

PHOTO:  Burnt transformer pole on Abergowrie Road at Lannercost

Crews had commenced fault-finding on the feeder line that supplies some customers at Cardwell Range, Rungoo, Bemerside and Ingham after circuit breakers tripped last night. The rising Seymour River has delayed their progress in this area.

We are still looking at two options for Paluma, but both are dependent on the weather and access.

Crews will need safe access to network switches at Crystal Creek or suitable flying conditions and a safe landing site to enable a Chinook to deliver generation units with a combined weight of 17 tonnes to the community at the top of the range.

Our crews are continuing to reconnect any homes that have been given the tick by a licenced electrical contractor and disconnect any that have been inundated and are yet to be inspected.

A crew member received medical treatment after being bitten by a roaming dog yesterday, so we are urging dog owners to ensure their pets are not a danger to our crews restoring power and anyone going about their business in the community.