Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland has called on the Minister for Energy to provide stability to Benalla’s unreliable electricity situation as the town suffers yet another raft of power outages.
The majority of businesses on Benalla’s main street were left without power on September 19 from 8:30am to 4:30pm, with trading closing and locals left unable to access shops and essential services such as pharmacies, optometrists and banks.
The outages extended from Bridge Street East and West, Avon Street, Barkly Street, Calder Street, Clarendon Street, Coster Street, Crammond Street, Gray Street, Lumsden Lane, Reilly Avenue, Salisbury Street, and Smyth Street.
These scheduled outages follow an array of unplanned outages that have impacted residents and businesses across the town, including one on August 18 that left some in Benalla and the surrounding region without power for an entire day due to underground cable faults under the Hume Highway.
Melisse Robinson, owner of the Tatong Tavern, said she has lost tens of thousands of dollars just this year due to unplanned outages.
“It is a significant loss of income to our small business,” Ms Robinson said.
“We experience short-term power loss at least once per week.”
With yet another outage scheduled all day on September 26 set to impact a further 200 residents, Ms Cleeland said it was time for the Government to step in and ensure Benalla’s unreliable electricity supply is properly managed.
“The constant power outages impacting Benalla cannot continue,” Ms Cleeland said.
“I understand that there is a need for occasional maintenance, however local residents and businesses should not be impacted as regularly as they are.
“My office has heard from several constituents who have struggled during these outages, including those with disabilities, the elderly, and business owners.
“I have written to the Minister for Energy to investigate the frequency of these outages and to ensure these do not remain a constant burden on our local community.”
