- 500,000 homes in Victoria without electricity
- State affected by forest fires and hail
Half a million Victorians have been plunged into darkness following the shutdown of the state’s largest power station, as bushfires rage through forests and parts of Ballarat have been hit by hail the size of golf balls.
Some homes could be left without power for days after AGL Energy’s Loy Yang A coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley closed shortly after 2pm on Tuesday, causing wholesale power prices to soar.
High winds reportedly toppled two transmission towers, leaving them unable to transmit electricity and causing the power plant to shut down.
Some homes could be left without power for days after AGL Energy’s Loy Yang A coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley (pictured) closed shortly after 2pm on Tuesday, causing wholesale electricity prices to plummet. the energy will skyrocket.
Bushfires devastated parts of western Victoria with many people forced to flee their homes (file image)
Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio revealed that 500,000 people were left without power due to the ‘physical collapse of transmission towers’.
Emma Tyner, a spokesperson for Citipower and Powercor, said it could take “days” for power to be restored after high winds and lightning damaged electrical infrastructure.
“It’s widespread, from the western suburbs of Melbourne, Bendigo, to the inner suburbs of Melbourne, Ballarat, Maryborough, Charlton, Shepparton,” Ms Tyner told the ABC.
“The band of lightning and extraordinary winds that we have seen move across the state has caused extensive damage and we are still seeing this weather pattern.”
It came as bushfires ravaged parts of western Victoria, with many people forced to flee their homes.
More to come.