Blackouts spark legal call

Friday, November 21, 2008

CBD businesses could launch a class action after Ergon Energy yesterday pledged to consider compensation claims caused by a spate of blackouts blamed on old underground cables.

CBD businesses could launch a class action after Ergon Energy yesterday pledged to consider compensation claims caused by a spate of blackouts blamed on old underground cables.

One hundred CBD businesses lost power for six and a half hours on Wednesday night after a cable was damaged in Grafton St about 6pm.

It followed blackouts to about 500 CBD businesses on Tuesday night for two hours after an underground cable failure between the Cairns city sub-station in Sheridan St and Lake St.

Dolci and Gelati owner Rhonda Bay yesterday told The Cairns Post she lost $1500 of ice cream and had to shut her doors on Wednesday night because of the power failure. The Shield St business owner said she would seek compensation.

"I lost everything. It all melted," Ms Bay said.

"Faults happen but businesses are suffering from it and we should be compensated."

Woolshed Chargrill and Saloon Bar owner Dominic Davies said he lost thousands after having to shut his bar for the first night in 14 years.

Yesterday, Ergon's acting area operations manager for Cairns, Charlie Casa, said the company would consider compensation claims "fairly".

Mr Casa said Ergon would fast-track a 2009/10 program worth $1 million this year to fix the problem.

He said older cable joints would be replaced with newer technology and older cables in the CBD would be replaced between Sheridan St, the Esplanade, the Cairns Base Hospital and the Marina.

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