Power Cut Hits 40,000 Homes and Businesses
Tens of thousands of Perth residents woke up without electricity after overnight rain caused pole-top fires across the city. Western Power outages affected homes and businesses from Hamilton Hill in the south to Connolly in the north. Other impacted suburbs include Girrawheen, Beechboro, Thornlie, The Vines, Duncraig, Noranda, and Parkwood.
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Western Power’s outage map showed widespread electricity loss across Perth’s northern and southern suburbs. The company estimates that power restoration will take until at least 6pm Tuesday, but some areas may experience extended delays due to multiple faults.
Figure 1: Light rain-triggered pole-top fires have damaged power lines, leading to blackouts across Perth. [ABC Radio Perth/Kate Leaver]
Rain Triggers 51 Pole-Top Fires
Western Power reported 51 pole-top fires caused by drizzly rain overnight. The fires resulted from a combination of dust, pollution, and moisture, which created tracks on insulators, allowing electricity to arc.
Zane Christmas from Western Power acknowledged the frustration. “Not the morning that we wanted to wake up to, especially for those customers impacted,” he told ABC Radio Perth. He noted that a similar incident had occurred just weeks earlier.
Figure 2: A power pole engulfed in flames on Benara Road. [Credit: Night News/Supplied.]
Efforts Underway to Restore Power
Western Power crews are working to fix the outages as quickly as possible. At least 18 crews are on standby to begin restoration once safety assessments are completed. Each pole replacement or repair takes between four and eight hours, making it difficult to provide accurate restoration times early in the process.
“We are usually able to apply those as the hazard teams assess the damages,” Mr Christmas said. “We’ll be estimating and communicating as we get some more information … it’s very early in the process.”
Western Power has advised customers to check the company’s website for updated restoration times.
Traffic Lights Out, Roads Affected
Traffic lights failed across several suburbs, causing major disruptions for commuters. Osborne Park’s Main Street closed in both directions due to the power outage. Traffic signals were down at Altone and Benara Roads in Beechboro and Malaga Drive near Reid Highway.
Emergency services urged commuters to remain vigilant as firefighters responded to incidents across affected areas.
Figure 3: Western Power stated that numerous faults have occurred due to weather-damaged infrastructure. Their crews are prioritising risk management and ensuring safety. Estimated restoration times may change as repairs continue. [Western Power]
History of Western Power Outages in WA
Pole-top fires have repeatedly caused Western Power outages in southern WA. In late January, drizzly weather led to similar blackouts affecting thousands of homes.
Western Power explained that pole-top fires occur when dust and pollution build-up combines with misty or drizzling rain. This creates electrical tracking, which heats pole infrastructure until it smoulders and burns.
Government Response and Power Reliability Concerns
WA Premier Roger Cook apologised for the inconvenience caused to residents and businesses. “Western Power spends about a billion dollars a year in maintenance, business, and repair in relation to our south-west grid,” he said.
He assured the public that the government would continue its program of underground power installation to improve long-term reliability. Two-thirds of residential customers already have underground power, reducing the risk of pole-top fires.
Mr Cook also noted discussions with business leaders about potential outage payments. “Most small businesses have insurance arrangements in place for most of these things,” he said. “The outage payments are for people to cover spoilage and perishable goods and those things like that.”
Western Power’s Maintenance Efforts
Western Power said it is constantly improving the management of its 860,000 power poles. Maintenance efforts include:
- Insulator replacements
- Managing trees and vegetation near wires
- High-pressure cleaning of insulators
- ‘De-energised’ siliconing and washing
Despite these efforts, power reliability remains a major concern. An independent review of WA’s electricity system highlighted overloading and equipment failure during the 2021 Christmas period, when 40,000 properties experienced multiple blackouts.
More recently, a 2024 summer storm left Kalgoorlie and the Wheatbelt without electricity, further emphasising the need for infrastructure improvements.
Western Power Urges Patience
Western Power has warned that some residents will remain without electricity until Wednesday. The company is prioritising hazard management before full restoration begins.
For ongoing updates, affected customers should visit the Western Power website or follow official social media channels.
