Thousand left in the dark from power cuts

More than 24,500 homes and businesses in the south of NSW may be without electricity for the rest of the week.

Firefighters work to contain a fire outside Bemboka, northwest of Bega. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

More than 24,500 homes and businesses in the south of NSW may be without electricity for the rest of the week, despite cooler temperatures easing the immediate threat to the power grid.

Essential Energy said on Sunday extensive damage to power lines into Batemans Bay and surrounding areas, and into Bega, meant it may take weeks to restore power to the area, although immediate threats to the broader NSW and Victorian grid have receded, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator.

AEMO said it believed it had adequate supply reserves to meet projected demand in all regions for the next few days, but warned conditions could change quickly.

The interconnector between Victoria and NSW was knocked out on Saturday, but returned to service overnight.

But severe bushfires in the Snowy Mountains threaten power substations and transmission lines connecting the two states and the Snowy Mountain hydro scheme.

A spokeswoman for NSW grid operator TransGrid said the company was still trying to get repair crews to a major substation at Upper Tumut. She said crews had been on standby since Sunday morning waiting for clearance to fly in to the fire zone by helicopter, but dangerous conditions had prevented the flight.

More than 35,000 customers remain without power in southern NSW after transmission lines were destroyed by bushfires.

Essential Energy said 25,500 users did not have power in southeastern NSW on Sunday and were unlikely to regain supply for some time, although it was able to ­restore electricity to about 11,000 homes in Moruya and Narooma.

“The electricity network has extensive damage with some areas completely destroyed and needing rebuilding,” Essential Energy said.

“In many cases customers will be without power into late this week, some possibly longer.”

About 15,800 customers are without power around Batemans Bay, 4100 in the Bega region, and 2800 in Batlow through to Tumut. Another 470 homes were without power around Tailong, northeast of Goulburn.

TransGrid chief Paul Italiano said assets in the Kosciuszko ­National Park had been damaged, interrupting the supply between Victoria and NSW, but easing conditions on Sunday had helped.