AusNet CEO David Smales fronted up to the vast audience at Mirboo North Town Hall on Friday, delivering a progress report and outlining the extent of the challenge faced in reconnecting power to the town and elsewhere in South Gippsland Shire and Victoria more broadly.
He acknowledged the traumatic experience people are facing and addressed an attendee’s question as to why it took so long for AusNet to have a presence in town.
“There is a lot of pre-planning needed,” he said, declaring there has been no lack of intent on the part of AusNet workers.
The AusNet CEO noted that the company has been dealing with an unprecedented situation.
“The storm damage on Tuesday afternoon was the biggest impact on our network that we’ve ever seen,” he said, explaining that 350,000 customers were at one stage without power, approximately 45 percent of AusNet’s clients, with 330,000 now having electricity restored.
David noted that initially the extent of damage across Victoria had to be assessed and planning undertaken.
He explained that power is 8km short of reaching Mirboo North, having had to come through Morwell and Leongatha, with a 2km section still needing replacement poles and restringing.
The CEO announced positive news that the large generator now installed opposite the Town Hall is expected to be powering between 150 and 200 Mirboo North properties from today, with the intention being to extend that on Saturday.
David indicated that connecting the generator was not a straightforward process.
“You have to isolate part of the network around the town, do some engineering works to make sure it’s safe and can carry the capacity,” he said.
He stressed that before power can be supplied to properties, each must be inspected to make sure there are no safety issues.
The community response to the CEO’s explanation appeared largely positive, with David receiving applause at the end of his speech.