NSW: Extra security ordered for electricity infrastructure

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2009
NSW: Extra security ordered for electricity infrastructure

SYDNEY, April 15 AAP - Extra security has been ordered to secure Sydney's electricity
network after it emerged a backhoe damaged a cable that caused a major CBD blackout.

About 70,000 homes and businesses were plunged into darkness on March 30, causing afternoon
peak hour chaos, closing major roads and leaving people stranded in lifts.

Some 140 sets of traffic lights were blacked out, with police having to direct traffic
at 40 intersections.

Damage to the 132,000 volt cable, at Circular Quay, was caused by contractors using
digging equipment, Energy Minister Ian Macdonald said.

"The damaged section of cable was examined over the weekend to determine what caused
it to fail," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Initial inspections indicate that the cable was damaged in all likelihood by a backhoe
some time ago which caused a weakness in the cable."

Energy Australia spokeswoman Kylie Yates said backfill around the damaged cable was
different to the original material.

"It's clear the cable has been struck and then refilled with backfill, both of which
contributed to the fault on Monday, March 30," she told AAP.

Mr Macdonald said extra steps would be taken to secure power network around the CBD
and nearby suburbs.

"Workers are conducting daily patrols of transmission cable routes into the city to
make sure they are not placed at risk by contractors working near them," he said.

"Extra security has been ordered at critical electricity infrastructure in the city
and all crews have been instructed to check in with EnergyAustralia's network control
room before undertaking routine maintenance in these facilities."

Another power outage on April 4 hit 50,000 homes and businesses in the northern part
of the CBD, along with some eastern and inner-city suburbs.

EnergyAustralia said that blackout was not caused by the same cable which failed on March 30.

AAP bc/evt/maur

KEYWORD: CABLES

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