Following on from last nights blog post Power outages affecting North Gungahlin – ActewAGL apology we have received the following update from ActewAGL
Electricity is one of the great modern conveniences, but in perspective, no electricity network is 100% failsafe. Mother Nature alone puts paid to that during the storm season when poles and wires bear the brunt.
The ACT electricity network is an immense grid with cables and overhead wires that could roll out from Canberra to Cairns and back – a whopping 5,269 kilometres.
Wires and cables are exposed to the elements, so there is always physical wear and tear on these assets, which is why we have an essential maintenance program, with crews on the go 365 days a year.
We always highlight the importance of making sure that the network is firstly safe and then as reliable as reasonably possible – and we do have the most reliable network in the entire National Electricity Market.
But facts don’t count when people are repeatedly inconvenienced, which has been the case in north Canberra, where the majority of customers around Gungahlin, Bonner, Amaroo, Forde and Jacka have experienced four outages over the past three weeks. This has been compounded by having to switch the power on and off as part of the process to locate faults and to switch around the fault to restore supply.
The growth of the ACT is exciting and the current focus is in north Canberra. There’s a lot of infrastructure work being undertaken to build and service new suburbs. That means lots of excavation and building works that often impact the electricity grid. In addition, ActewAGL is also adapting the network to support this urban development.
We also received this statement from ActewAGL General Manager Energy Networks Stephen Devlin: “ActewAGL cannot and does not guarantee 100 percent uninterrupted supply of electricity. While the outages have been inconvenient, compensation is not available as they have not been caused by our negligence or breach of contract. We are always happy to talk to our customers about their energy needs and expectations, and there is further information on our website.”
ActewAGL can be contacted directly on 13 14 93 Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm or via mail at GPO Box 366, Canberra, ACT 2601
Please see the following link for ActewAGLs Networks compliments and complaints
Please see the following link for the Standard retail contract terms for small customers in the ACT and NSW
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