Thousands of residents left in the dark by ongoing power outages have had their cries for help answered, after Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour demanded their energy supplier take action.
Power giant Ausgrid had come under fire after repeated blackouts in the suburbs surrounding Georges Hall, Villawood, Bass Hill and Yagoona.
Ausgrid has now vowed to fix their problems, prioritising an initial $1 million to upgrade the ageing cable network.
Mayor Khal Asfour said it was a long overdue win for residents.
“What these residents have had to endure is disgraceful and whilst the provider has moved to rectify the problem, it should have been done a lot sooner,” Mayor Asfour said.
Mayor Asfour said he was frustrated with the situation and lobbied and wrote to Ausgrid in December outlining not only his concerns but the concerns of the entire community.
“Many residents had come to me saying they were fed up with the sub-standard service and needed something to be done.”
Mayor Asfour said he received a letter from Ausgrid’s CEO Mr Richard Gross who was sympathetic and said that he had prioritised the works which would commence this month.
“He has given me assurances the works to be carried out will improve power supply to the area.”
The works will include:
- Full replacement of the ageing cabling on Miller Road, Villawood;
- Increasing the supply and load capacity at the Leightonfield substation;
- Replacing the ageing transformer in Mundamatta Street, Villawood, reducing risks of future cable failure; and
- Managing the loads on the Bass Hill Network, by replacing older cables and remote switching.
Mayor Asfour said Ausgrid was also reviewing its backup plan in the event of further blackouts.
“They are putting in place a system to use mobile generators should power be interrupted,” he said.
“Ausgrid has promised to brief myself, and Council, on the progress of the scheduled works and I will be monitoring the situation closely.”
