- 500,000 homes in Victoria without power
- State hit by forest fires and hailstones
Half a million Victorians have been plunged into darkness after the state’s largest power station closed, while fires rage in the bush and parts of Ballarat have been hit by hailstones the size of golf balls.
Some households could be without power for days after AGL Energy’s Loy Yang A coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley shut down just after 2pm on Tuesday, sending wholesale energy prices soaring.
High winds reportedly toppled two transmission towers, preventing them from transmitting electricity and shutting down the power plant.
Some households could be without power for days after AGL Energy’s Loy Yang coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley (pictured) shut down just after 2pm on Tuesday, sending wholesale energy prices soaring
Bushfires raged in parts of western Victoria, forcing many people to flee their homes (stock image)
Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio revealed that 500,000 people were left without power due to the ‘physical collapse of cell towers’.
“The situation remains volatile,” Ms D’Ambrosio added.
Emma Tyner, a spokesperson for Citipower and Powercor, said it could take “days” for power to be restored after high winds and lightning strikes damaged electrical infrastructure.
“It’s very widespread, from the western suburbs of Melbourne, Bendigo, through the inner suburbs of Melbourne, Ballarat, Maryborough, Charlton, Shepparton,” Ms Tyner told the newspaper. ABC.
“The lightning and unusual winds we’ve seen moving through the state have caused extensive damage and we continue to see this weather pattern unfold.”
It came as bushfires raged in parts of western Victoria, forcing many people to flee their homes.
Meanwhile, a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of West and South Gippsland.
Damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall could lead to flooding on Tuesday evening.
More to come.