The repair job by ActewAGL to Canberra’s burnt out infrastructure was little short of miraculous.
ActewAGL coped so well for several reasons.
The homework had already been done. Detailed emergency plans are constantly reviewed. Not just for fire, but other emergencies such as earthquake and explosions and the like.
It got considerable help from other utility companies that had otherwise been in competition.
It got help and co-operation from the community and the Government.
The chief executive officer of ActewAGL John Mackay said many of his staff returned from holidays and worked around the clock in 12-hour shifts. He praised their efforts and skill and the co-operation of the community, the media and competitors who lent a hand.
The damage was enormous:
About 500 houses destroyed. About 1000 damaged. Community facilities, businesses and infrastructure damaged.
37,500 households without power.
52 of Canberra’s 123 suburbs had full or partial disruption to electricity supplies.
960 power poles and tens of kilometres of electricity cable destroyed.
Hundreds of substations and transformers were out of action.
Significant damage to other infrastructure including telemetry equipment.
2,000 streetlights out.
Supply to 6,500 natural gas customers cut. More than 300 natural gas connections to damaged or destroyed homes required isolation.
Both water treatment plants, Googong and Stromlo, out of action.
Roof blown off major reservoir at Chapman.
Canberra’s principal sewage treatment plant disabled. Control cables burned, along with associated damage to hoses, cables, valves and other equipment.
The repairs and restoration job was rapid:
By the end of the seventh day electricity supply restored to all but 1,000 mainly rural or fire-damaged households.
Natural gas supply restored to the eight suburbs where disconnected.
Water supplies fully functioning from the day after the fire.
Major sewerage plant returned to service on the Monday after the fire.
Eleven days after the fire, final residences in Duffy reconnected to power and no serviceable house in Canberra without power.