Hardest hit SEQ residents could be without power for a week, Energex warns

Nearly 50,000 homes and businesses across the southeast are without power and Energex has warned that it could take a week for it to be restored in the hardest hit regions.

Energex has advised that residents living in parts of South East Queensland that are hit hard by Tropical Cyclone Alfred could be without power for a week, after debris took out a major substation on the Gold Coast.

It comes as thousands of South East Queensland residents have already experienced power outages in the lead up to Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s expected landfall on Saturday.

According to Energex, 49,915 customers are without power as of 3.45pm on Friday.

On the Gold Coast, 38,750 customers are without power after debris took out the Tugun substation,

While 7,111 customers are without power in the Redlands, and 3,018 customers are without power in the Scenic Rim.

Trees threatening powerlines in the Byron Bay Honterland as a result of heavy rain brought by Cyclone Alfred. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Energex spokesman Danny Donald said several regions across South East Queensland are currently experiencing significant power outages.

He urged people to prepare for the possibility that power could be out for a week.

“The Gold Coast, Redland City, and the Scenic Rim are the worst affected areas at the moment,” Mr Donald told The Courier-Mail.

“The strong winds have carried debris, tree branches, whole trees, everything onto the network.

“We’ve had some debris that has taken out the substation at Tugun.”

Cyclone Alfred remains off the coast causing erosion and rough seas at Currumbin on the Gold Coast. Pics Adam Head

Mr Donald said all repair and restoration works have been suspended until after Tropical Cyclone Alfred passes.

“We’ve suspended all repair work and restoration work on the Gold Coast and the Moreton Bay islands, and this is going to eventually occur right across South East Queensland, as the winds start to get worse,” he said.

“If you’re on the Gold Coast or southern Moreton Bay islands, and you lose power today, we won’t be starting restoration until after the cycle passes and it becomes safe.

“If we really get hit hard, some areas may be without power for well more than a week, so people must be prepared at home to be without power for at least a week.”

Energex chief executive Peter Scott said Gold Coast and Redlands residents had been the most impacted by power outages so far.

“We’ve currently got 40,000 services out of electricity, 35,000 on the Gold Coast and 5000 in the Redlands and the islands,” Mr Scott said.

“We’ve been actively responding to the network outages since yesterday.

“Staff had to demobilise at 10pm last night because the wind strength was just too much it was unsafe.

“We’ll remobilise, hopefully later today, depending on the wind strength across all impacted areas.”

Mr Scott added that Energex had 1200 staff ready to be deployed, with 800 Ergon staff also on standby to assist.

“We have enough resources, both people and equipment, it’s just a matter of doing the damage assessments,” he said.

Originally published as Hardest hit SEQ residents could be without power for a week, Energex warns