8 Common Causes of Electrical Blackouts

8 Common Causes of Electrical Blackouts

Power reliability in Australia is better than ever, but problems can still pop up to interrupt service. Depending on the problem, the power could be out for a few hours, days, or longer. Understanding the potential sources of an outage can help customers deal with the inconvenience while waiting for service restoration.

Weather of all kinds serves as the biggest threat to continued service. Wind and lightning pose the most significant problems. Wind can blow over trees or directly affect lines. When lightning strikes equipment, it will usually require complete replacement.

When trees grow tall, they increasingly threaten lines and equipment nearby. Many power companies insist on cutting them back as a preventative measure. Any rotting or otherwise fragile tree near lines needs to be removed immediately.

Vehicle Damage
Wayward vehicles serve as one of the most common issues in electrical outages. Usually, damage from them requires a replacement pole. Sometimes, however, vehicle damage occurs during bad weather, compounding potential problems.

Overloaded Grid
The digital age poses problems for older generation grid equipment. The ubiquitous use of air conditioning on hot days, combined with ever-increasing demands for power to drive electronic devices can overload the grid. This situation can cause automatic shutdowns or even damage to transmission equipment in extreme cases.

Floods and Earthquakes
The violent and sudden action caused by seismic events and widespread high water can cause damage to the electrical grid on a massive scale. Unlike other events that are isolated and quickly correctible, power could be off in these affected areas for weeks.

Animals can also cause loss of electrical service. Squirrels, rodents, and other small animals, as well as birds, can cause equipment failure by trying to eat wires or when they look for a warm place to sleep.

Malfunction and Mistakes
Power companies do the best they can to reduce human error and prevent equipment malfunction. Both occur rarely, but both will inevitably interrupt power delivery, usually for a relatively short time.

Poorly Planned Excavation
Another major threat to consistent power delivery lies in excavation. Usually, amateurs working on their own property accidentally breach utility lines, but professionals have been known to make these errors as well. Australia has a 'call before you dig' hotline. Call 1100 from anywhere in the country to make sure that your dig site is safe.

Equipment operators who accidentally breach underground electrical lines also put themselves at risk of injury or death.

Call Absolutely On Time Electrical for all of your power and electrical issues.