190+ electrical contractors ready to reconnect Riverland properties when floodwaters recede

Almost 200 electrical contractors are poised to help reconnect power to thousands of Riverland properties inundated by floodwaters.

When Riverland floodwaters recede, thousands of properties will remain without power until they get the all clear from an electrician. Here’s the plan to make sure we have enough tradies to take on the “massive” job.

The state government put a call out to electricians about a fortnight ago and so far 191 companies have registered to check homes once floodwaters begin to recede.

There are more than 3200 homes and hundreds of other properties currently without power across the region.

Each will need to be assessed and approved by an electrician before SA Power Networks can reconnect supply.

Scenes from Swan Reach as the Murray River waters continue to rise. Picture: Emma Brasier.

“That is a massive undertaking,” Premier Peter Malinauskas has said.

“We won’t really know the true depth of the recovery cost until those waters recede and we start to see some of the damage that is done.

“There are going to have to be somewhere in the order of 4000 different properties having their power reconnected.

“Every single one of those properties has to have an individual certification from a certified electrician that says it is now safe to have their power reconnected.”

The National Electrical and Communications Association, which represents electricians, has joined a state government task force to amass a pool of tradies ready to do the work.

NECA SA/NT executive director Larry Moore said of the 190-plus contractors available “up and down the river” each could have five to 10 employees at the ready.

“It’s very hard to say how many we’ll need. I think that will be enough,” he said.

Mr Moore said some checks could be done in a matter of hours while other properties would require days of work.

“It depends if a house has been inundated with water or if it’s been lapping at the edges,” he said.

Joel Eglinton canoes around his families Murray River shacks to document the extent of flooding from the rising Murray River waters at Swan Reach, SA. Picture: Joel Eglinton

“If it’s a couple of feet it’s going to affect all the power points on the lower level (of a house).

“If the house is completely submerged then it’s a much more difficult process. That could be a week’s work.”

Mr Moore said he had contacted wholesalers and manufacturers of electrical equipment that would be needed and believed enough parts would be available.

“The supply chain was terrible six to 12 months ago with Covid but it’s now almost back to normal,” he said.

SA Power Networks spokesman Paul Roberts said it would aim to connect mains power supply “as early as possible but it really does depend on what damage there is to private property”.

“We’ll be connecting (mains power) up to the closest safe point to the house.

“This is not going to be a quick process, there’s still a lot of the flood peak to flow down the river yet. There’s going to be significant work to be done.”