Vic: Thousands without power until Monday

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-2008
Vic: Thousands without power until Monday

MELBOURNE, April 5 AAP - Thousands of Victorians will still be without power this weekend,
as the struggle continues to restore services in the wake of Wednesday's wild storms.

About 20,000 of the 420,000 homes whose supply was knocked out by the storms remained
cut off last night, most of them in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

Power companies SP AusNet and Alinta say it will take all weekend to reconnect everyone.

"We're not anticipating completing all the work we've got to do until into Monday,"

said Alinta's Scott Parker.

The Victorian government yesterday came under attack, with privatisation of the power
industry being blamed on the delay in reconnecting residents.

But Energy Minister Peter Batchelor said Victoria had suffered the biggest "wind event"

in its history.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has appealed for those affected by the storms to
help ease the backlog by doing some of the clean-up themselves.

But WorkSafe urged Victorians to take extreme care, particularly when using power tools,
ladders and hired equipment.

WorkSafe executive director John Merritt says many people carrying out their own clean-up
work such as clearing gutters or cutting up fallen trees have to be aware of the risk
of serious injury if precautions are not taken.

AAP ce/it/

KEYWORD: WIND VIC DAYLEAD

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