Recent power outages in Yarrawonga

An update on work to address recent power outages in Yarrawonga

Over recent weeks, some customers in Yarrawonga have experienced power outages due to higher than usual fault activity on the network.

We know how important reliable power is, especially during the extreme heat, and we are taking steps to improve reliability in this area.

Why have some Yarrawonga customers experienced multiple outages recently?

Since December, some parts of the community have experienced multiple outages.

There have been a range of causes, including:

• Vegetation coming in contact with powerlines during high winds
• A fault on an underground cable supplying the area
• Very high demand during the extreme heat contributing to equipment faults, which caused safety devices to operate

In some cases, including the outages on 11 and 25 January, no clear cause has been found yet. This can occur when something briefly touches the line and then falls away.

Our crews responded to each outage as quickly as possible.

On total fire ban days, bushfire safety rules require us to operate our network and safety devices in more sensitive settings. When those devices operate, crews must patrol and inspect the impacted line before power can be restored. This can extend outage times but is critical for safety.

What is being done to improve reliability?

Last summer we saw significant growth in peak demand in Yarrawonga, placing extra pressure on the network. This followed five years of stable peak demand in the area.

To support the area and this growth, we put plans in place in 2025 to prepare for this summer. This work included:

• Installing generators in December with additional units added in January to provide extra capacity to support the increase in demand during the summer period.
• Operating the installed generators several times this summer to provide support to the network, and the communities supply needs when needed.

While these have provided some support during peak periods, there is more work to be done. That’s why we are:

• Replacing and upgrading several kilometres of one of the main powerlines to increase the capacity in the network, improve reliability and help Yarrawonga cope with extreme heat conditions. These upgrades will be completed before next summer.
• Exploring other improvements to meet the growing needs of the area in the medium and long term. These options include potentially installing another major powerline in the region. We expect this work may be needed in the next five years and we will keep the community updated as we progress these plans.

Does Yarrawonga need its own zone substation?

Not at this stage.

Yarrawonga currently receives power from the Cobram East zone substation. This station is able to supply the town with what it needs and has space to be expanded in future as growth continues. It is common for one station to supply several nearby communities.

If the town and surrounding areas continue to grow, a new station may be needed in the future, but at this stage this is not expected for more than 10 years.

Why are only some parts of Yarrawonga affected?

Yarrawonga is supplied by two main powerlines from Cobram East. The recent outages affected only one of these lines, so only customers connected to that line were impacted.

Am I entitled to compensation?

If your outages exceed 18 hours in total or more than eight interruptions in a financial year, you may be entitled to a Guaranteed Service Level payment. These are processed automatically through your retailer and are stated as a credit on your retail bill. For details, visit: https://www.esc.vic.gov.au/electricity-and-gas/information-for-electricity-and-gas-consumers/guaranteed-service-level-payments-energy-outages-and-voltage-claims.

Have you been turning off our power because there is not enough generation or to support other areas?

No. We have not turned off power to the region. These outages were caused by local issues on the network, not wider supply problems.