As at 10.30am, 9 January, 2026
Strong winds are already impacting parts of our network and this is leading to localised outages in some areas.
Our crews and controllers are working to restore power to about 2,846 customers as safely as possible.
The main areas impacted are Yarrawonga, Shepparton and Casterton.
Due to the catastrophic fire danger conditions, we are operating our safety settings on our network in a very sensitive mode to reduce the risk of fires. These devices are designed to keep communities safe but do increase the likelihood of power outages occurring during these extreme conditions.
In many cases, our crews will need to patrol the lines to make sure they are safe before power can be safely restored, and this may mean restoration times are longer than usual.
We will keep customers updated on restoration times via SMS, our outage map and our customer contact centre.
We are encouraging people to take action now to prepare for today’s challenging conditions and ensure power outages are part of your emergency plan.
Bushfires can damage electricity infrastructure and affect electricity supply to properties, impacting equipment such as electric water pumps.
If our assets are damaged by a bushfire, it may take several days before crews can safely access sites and complete repairs to electrical infrastructure.
Extreme conditions can also bring down powerlines. If you see a fallen powerline, always assume they are live, stay well away and report them to us on 13 24 12.
We understand how difficult it is to be without power on such a challenging day, and we are doing everything possible to get power back on safely.
