Power Outages Plague Tasmania After Severe Storms
Tasmania was hit hard by a series of strong cold fronts last month, leaving thousands of households without power. The severe winds and flooding caused extensive damage, including downed trees that took down transmission lines.
State-owned electricity provider TasNetworks reported damage to over 20% of its network, with 150,000 customers experiencing outages at some point. This meant that many Tasmanians, particularly in the north and northwest, went days without heating, lighting, refrigeration, and in some cases, access to tap water.
Many residents expressed frustration with the lack of communication from TasNetworks. John Gardner, who waited 11 days for power to return to his Loira property, said he received inaccurate information about restoration times. Leigh Blazely, who waited two weeks for power in Notley Hills, also felt communication could have been more open.
Independent MP Craig Garland successfully passed a motion in the Tasmanian lower house for an independent review into TasNetworks' handling of the emergency. The review will examine staffing levels, pay parity for line workers, and communication strategies.
TasNetworks has conducted its own internal review and acknowledged the challenges of communicating accurate information during multiple storm events. The company also provided generators to customers in extenuating circumstances and worked with other agencies to provide community support.
The Tasmanian Council of Churches' Emergencies Ministry (TCCEM) deployed volunteers to provide outreach and support to affected communities.
The state and federal governments are providing grants of up to $2,000 per week to households that have been without power for seven days or longer, or are uninhabitable due to damage. Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government's Disaster Assist website and the Tasmanian Government's TasALERT website.