Although most customers were reconnected within a day, approximately 1,600 residents in Hawker, Leigh Creek, and Quorn remained without power due to extensive damage to the distribution and transmission networks. SA Power Networks overcame significant logistical and technical hurdles to provide temporary power generation to these communities. Quorn relied on backup generation for two weeks, while Hawker and Leigh Creek continued to use temporary generation as repairs to ElectraNet's damaged transmission network progressed.
Barry Murphy, affectionately known as Spud and a Generation Specialist at SA Power Networks, led the operation, supported by teams from Port Augusta, Elizabeth, and Metro South. Murphy emphasized the challenges of deploying generation to three separate locations for an extended period but highlighted the importance of team collaboration. Staff from various depots across the state temporarily relocated to Hawker and Leigh Creek to support the restoration efforts.
On Saturday, February 15, 2025, a planned outage occurred between 5am and 8am to ensure the safety of crews working to disconnect temporary generators and reconnect the network supply. Chris Bennett, Operations Manager at SA Power Networks, acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the outages and thanked customers for their patience and support over the past few months. He emphasized the priority of ensuring a safe and efficient power restoration process and commended the collaboration between SA Power Networks' teams, the South Australian Government, and local communities.
SA Power Networks is proud to have restored power to Hawker and surrounding areas and continues to work with the government and ElectraNet to ensure the long-term security of the region's electricity supply.
