‘Gas supply interruption’ at Channel Island caused major blackout in the Top End

A WIDESPREAD electricity outage that plunged up to 40,000 Top End homes and businesses into two hours of darkness and heat has been linked to a failure at the NT’s largest power station.

Heather Haines from Parap Fine Foods moves perishable items from the business’ in-store fridge to back-up fridge to save stock. Picture: Che Chorley

• Power outages across Darwin suburbs, Palmerston and Katherine, according to Power and Water
• List of suburbs affected by the mass power outage across the Top End

A WIDESPREAD electricity outage that plunged up to 40,000 Top End homes and businesses into two hours of darkness and heat has been linked to a failure at the Northern Territory’s largest power station.

Authorities confirmed a “gas supply interruption” at Channel Island cut the power across the Darwin and Katherine network — what they haven’t figured out is how that happened.

Almost instantly, at 3.53pm, suburbs across Darwin, Palmerston and as far south as Katherine went dark as the interconnected grid that supplies the region ran out of electricity.

The power outage caused traffic lights to fail across the capital city just as public servants were packing up for the drive home, airconditioners failed and Territorians sweltered as the mercury peaked at 35C.

PREVIOUS MAJOR BLACKOUTS IN THE NT:

Power and Water and Territory Generation bosses get the axe

How a single cloud brought the NT’s second biggest town to its knees

The 2014 Code black: Darwin shuts down with epic blackout

Fannie Bay Cool Spot chef Krishna Bhubthi cools down while waiting for the power to come back on. Picture: Che Chorley

Generators at the Top End’s three main hospitals in Darwin, Palmerston and Katherine kicked into gear as those that had no access to back up power were at serious risk of missing the State of Origin decider.

A Top End Health spokeswoman confirmed people who require lifesaving equipment, like oxygen machines, had individual backup electricity plans with Power and Water Corporation in preparation for emergency events.

Kennards Hire ran out of generators within an hour.

The incident was reminiscent of the massive system black in 2014 that brought Darwin to a standstill for 12 hours after a simple circuit-breaker failed during a routine maintenance, sending the entire power network into a protective shutdown and leaving 68,000 homes and businesses without power.

Yesterday’s blackout was serious enough to activate the Territory’s Public Utilities Group – which draws in authorities across government to deal with emergency events related to electricity and water.

Traffic lights across the city of Darwin city and surrounding suburbs went out during peak hour amid the blackout. Picture: Che Chorley

Unlike in 2014, Power and Water Corporation and Territory Generation were able to restore electricity within two hours.

A spokeswoman for Power and Water Corp confirmed at 6pm yesterday that a “gas supply interruption” to Channel Island power station had sparked the outage.

“The gas supply has now been rectified and we are working on restoration of power to all affected areas as soon as possible,” she said.

Asked if the interruption was related to a failure of infrastructure or a lack of gas, the spokeswoman said this would be investigated.

Essential Services Minister Eva Lawler, who confirmed an investigation would be conducted, thanked staff for “working hard to restore power as quickly as possible”.

Channel Island Power station, which is natural gas-fired, was first commissioned in 1986 and now has 310 megawatts of installed capacity. It has diesel fuel back up capabilities.

OFFER EXTENDED: Amazing NT News subscription offer: Read everything for $1

Fears about the fragility of the NT’s “islanded” electricity grid are growing, particularly due to the perceived lack of preparation on the government’s end to bolster the network in preparation for more renewable energy- which it needs in order to hit its 50 per cent renewables by 2030 target.

Alice Springs suffered its latest system black in October last year, which an official report linked to a single cloud that caused a sharp drop in solar generation.