ELECTRANET and SA Power Networks are not required to compensate the thousands of Yorke Peninsula businesses and residents affected by Friday's almost 20-hour power outage, according to the state energy minister.
Minister Tom Koutsantonis told State Parliament yesterday (Tuesday, March 18) there was "no regulated compensation scheme" for transmission network failures, which are the responsibility of private company ElectraNet.
The blackout was "not a fault of SA Power Networks", which only manages the distribution network, and therefore it was also not liable.
"Some people may be aware of the Guaranteed Service Level (GSL) payments, which are payable to customers for distribution-related power outages of more than 20 hours," Mr Koutsantonis said.
"In this instance that payment does not apply."
He said individuals or businesses who suffered loss or damage may be covered through their personal insurance, but not through any regulated scheme.
"The only regulated scheme here is for distribution faults that extend that outage," he said.
"It's cold comfort … but this is the legacy scheme that was given to us through privatisation."
Mr Koutsantonis said ElectraNet had been actively monitoring conditions prior to the faults and had scheduled preventative maintenance of equipment for Sunday, March 16.
"The maintenance period had been scheduled to avoid summer periods and forecast hot conditions but, as monitoring and pollution monitors were showing, this needed to be brought forward," he said.
"I could go on about ElectraNet having responsibility for these transmission lines, but that's a legacy decision, and ElectraNet will need to account to independent regulators about their performance.
"But I can assure the Member for Narungga that we are seeking answers from ElectraNet, and we are holding them to account for what occurred."
The minister's comments were a result of questioning from Narungga MP Fraser Ellis who explained that the entire peninsula was off the grid for at least 17 hours, causing businesses to lose stock, customers and money.
More to come in the Tuesday, March 25 edition of the YP Country Times.