SA Power Networks could be forced to pay out more than $1.4m in “inconvenience payments” after thousands of home hit by lengthy blackouts

SOUTH Australia’s electricity distributor could be forced to pay out more than $1.4 million in “inconvenience payments” as thousands of households have been affected by lengthy power blackouts.

• UPDATED COVERAGE: Cold front continues to pile misery
• GALLERY: SA’s wild, wild weather

SOUTH Australia’s electricity distributor could be forced to pay out more than $1.4 million in “inconvenience payments” as thousands of households have been affected by lengthy power blackouts.

About 14,000 customers were without power at 9.30pm last night after whipping winds brought trees crashing on to powerlines across the state.

SA Power Networks said 120,000 customers had been affected since midnight on Sunday. Spokesman Paul Roberts 3500 Hills residents had been without power for more than 34 hours by 5pm yesterday, making them eligible for “guaranteed level service payments” of $405.

Homes that had been without power for between 12 and 15 hours were eligible for $100 while those without power for more than 24 hours could count on $405 and residents waiting for electricity for more than 48 hours were entitled to $605.

Mr Roberts said 120,000 homes across the state had been without power at some stage since the windy conditions began about midnight on Sunday — almost 15 per cent of the organisation’s 820,000 customers. More were expected to be affected as the blustery conditions continued to bring down trees late last night.

Mr Roberts said crews were working hard to restore power and were prioritising homes in the Adelaide Hills. “We understand that would be very difficult given the very cold conditions up there,” he said.

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He said crews had already worked two 16-hour days in windy, wet and dangerous conditions, but would be at work again by 7am on Wednesday.

“It’s been very windy, it’s slippery and boggy ground which doesn’t help,’’ he said.

Fatigue among repair crews was being managed, he said.