Since Monday 19 May, more than 46,000 Essential Energy customers have been affected by power outages following the significant weather event that caused devastating flooding across the Mid North Coast and Hunter areas.

The weather brought down trees and debris over powerlines and electrical equipment, and floodwater inundated many of our customers’ houses and businesses as well as large parts of the electricity network, requiring power to be proactively turned off to ensure community safety.

The flood water also washed away power poles and electrical equipment, including streetlights.

Essential Energy have utilised helicopters, drones and specialised all terrain machinery to survey the network and support our restoration efforts. Up to 120 crew members have been on the ground each day across more than 124 worksites to make repairs and restore power for our customers, with teams having travelled from across the state to support our local crews.

As of 2:30pm today, 26 Essential Energy customers are without available mains power. In addition, there are currently 460 premises de-energised as a result of water inundation, which require safety checks to be undertaken before we can safely reconnect them to mains supply.

Our crews will continue to make final repairs to restore power and will support our customers over the coming weeks who have had their premises disconnected due to water inundation.

Although much of the electricity network has been repaired, customers are reminded to keep safety front of mind. It is possible that vegetation or debris may fall on powerlines, while water-logged soil might cause trees to topple over the network, causing power outages or lines to come down. Please stay at least 8 metres away from fallen powerlines and 150 metres from lines submerged in water and report the location to Essential Energy on 132080.

We want to take this opportunity to thank the local community, businesses and services clubs for their support for our teams while we restored power. This support was instrumental to our response.

This will be our final website update. We will provide a video later this week which includes imagery of our response as we worked to restore power for customers.

Essential Energy crews have worked tirelessly the past 48 hours in challenging conditions to repair the electricity network and restore power for customers.

Teams from across NSW continue to support local crews in Kempsey, Taree and further south across Gloucester and surrounds, replacing power poles and electrical equipment such as transformers and restringing powerlines.

Specialised underground crews have finalised repairs in the Taree CBD, with power returned to all businesses. The floods caused significant damage to the underground electricity network with equipment needing replacement, drying out and testing before being fully re-energised yesterday.

Helicopters are playing a key role in our response, assisting crews over the past few days, and again today with restringing lines and providing access where it isn’t available on the ground.

River levels around Gloucester are also dropping to a safe level for our teams to gain access, with around 40 customers expected to have their power restored near Gloucester later today.

Our teams still have a lot of work to do in challenging, hard to reach and muddy terrain to restore power to 183 customers.

Separately, 578 premises remain disconnected from the electricity network for safety reasons following water inundation. Essential Energy is supporting these customers through the process of reconnection, with our teams on the ground in Taree, Port Macquarie and Kempsey.

Our customers are reminded to keep safety front of mind. Please stay at least 8 metres away from fallen powerlines and 150 metres from lines submerged in water and report the location to Essential Energy on 132080.

Since yesterday, Essential Energy crews have worked to restore power to around 260 further customers on our network, following the impacts of extreme weather and flooding along areas of the Mid North Coast and parts of the Hunter. Conditions are often extremely difficult, with crew members working in waist-deep mud and fresh rains in some areas.

Work includes straightening, replacing and restringing power poles, among other tasks to repair the network and restore power to our customers and communities.

Our crews are grateful for the outpouring of support from locals and community organisations, and will continue working tirelessly to get the 688 homes and businesses currently without power back online.

The high volume of hanging vegetation debris and water-logged soil may result in falling trees and branches over the coming weeks posing a public safety risk with the likelihood of power outages as these make contact with the network.

Essential Energy representatives are once again on the ground today in Wingham and at the Taree Recovery Assistance Point, talking with locals and providing information and support on the process for reconnecting power after it may have been disconnected for safety reasons.

The community is reminded to please stay at least 8 metres away from fallen powerlines and 150 metres from lines submerged in water and should report the location to Essential Energy on 132080.

Please note our next update will be provided 1:30pm on Thursday 29 May unless there is a significant change.

Since yesterday evening, Essential Energy crews have worked to restore power to over 280 more customers on our network, following the impacts of extreme weather and flooding along areas of the Mid North Coast and parts of the Hunter.

Crews will continue work to restore power to approximately 940 homes and businesses without power in Taree, Kempsey, Gloucester and surrounding areas. Access via Gloryvale Bridge on Thunderbolts Way is expected in the coming day and will expedite repair work in the Gloucester area.

Essential Energy representatives are on the ground today in Wingham and other Taree areas, as well as the Kempsey CBD. Teams are talking with locals and providing information and support on the process for reconnecting power after it may have been disconnected for safety reasons. The extreme weather has caused infrastructure damage that can include sagging powerlines. These should be immediately reported to Essential Energy on 132080.

We remind the community to stay at least eight metres away from fallen powerlines, power poles and damaged electricity equipment, or 150 metres if any part of the electricity network is covered in flood waters.

Through the day, Essential Energy crews have restored power to around 700 customers on our network, after the impacts from extreme weather and flooding.

Crews will continue work to restore power to the 1,229 homes and businesses that remain without power in Taree, Kempsey and surrounding areas.

In Bulahdelah, 33 power poles were replaced today, aiding restoration efforts. In Kempsey, as water was removed from town centre, our teams restored power where possible, with the assistance of local licensed electricians. We continue to use helicopters and drones to survey damage on inaccessible parts of the network. Today, the camera helicopter surveying for network damage was able to assist a stranded family, advising SES of their location and providing some interim assistance.

Essential Energy representatives were also on the ground across multiple Taree locations, Croki and Kempsey, talking with locals and providing information and support on the process for reconnecting power after it may have been disconnected for safety reasons.

Customers can visit our outages page for estimated restoration times, which will be posted once known, or call 132080.

We sincerely appreciate the patience and understanding of our communities as our crews work as quickly as safety allows to restore power to all in these difficult and challenging conditions.

Overnight, crews have restored power to more than 650 homes and businesses on our network, bringing the total restored to close to 4,500 since the height of the impacts from extreme weather and flooding.

Flood warnings in most areas have been lifted, however access will present ongoing challenges due to the devastation wrought by the floods, including the boggy state of the ground, access ways and the network.

Helicopter and drone surveillance over the last few days has revealed toppled power poles, sink holes and debris tangled along powerlines.

Crews will continue work to restore power to the 1,946 homes and businesses that remain without power in Taree, Port Macquarie, Kempsey and surrounding areas.

Essential Energy representatives will be on the ground today in Kempsey (in the Central Business District near the Commonwealth Bank) as well as moving through the Tinonee, Wingham and Taree areas.

Teams can provide advice on how to reconnect homes that had power disconnected for safety reasons, if there was evidence of the property being inundated with water. They can also advise on the assistance and support Essential Energy provides.

Customers can visit our outages page for estimated restoration times, which will be posted once known, or call 132080.

We sincerely appreciate the patience and understanding of our communities as our crews work as quickly as safety allows to restore power to all in these difficult and challenging conditions.

Since this morning, crews have restored power to over 600 homes and businesses on our network, bringing the total restored to just over 4,000 since the height of the impacts from extreme weather and flooding.

Even as floodwaters begin to recede, access remains challenging for our teams and their critical equipment, due to boggy and eroded ground, swollen waterways and impassable roads. In some instances, our crews have been dropped by air or boat into inaccessible locations, successfully working to restore power where safe to do so.

We are continuing our efforts to reconnect approximately 2,600 customers along the Mid North Coast without power this evening. The most impacted areas remain Taree, Port Macquarie and Kempsey.

Local crews are being supported by reinforcement teams from around our network, as well as helicopters and drones which enable us to assess network damage to help with restoration planning.

Customers should be vigilant even as conditions improve, and are reminded to not enter a property that has been affected by flood waters without first ensuring the power has been shut off or disconnected. For critical safety reasons, power may have been disconnected to properties if there was evidence of it being inundated with water.

Essential Energy offers assistance with reconnection, including fee waivers and other support. More information can be found on our flood reconnections page.

We thank our communities for their patience and understanding as our crews work as quickly as safety allows to restore power to all in these difficult and challenging conditions.

Extreme weather and flooding continue to cause disruptions along the Mid North Coast. Essential Energy is working hand-in-hand with emergency services to ensure the safety of the community, emergency service personnel, and our teams.

Currently, there are 3,896 homes and businesses without power on the Essential Energy network. The most heavily impacted areas include Kempsey, Port Macquarie and Taree. Our crews were able to restore power to a large number of customers in Taree today.

Safe access to survey damage to the network has been challenging due to fallen trees and branches and active flood zones. Today in Taree, helicopters have been used to give us a bird's eye view of inaccessible areas, which will aid restoration efforts. Essential Energy crews from across the state are on standby, ready to be deployed as soon as it's safe.

We understand that some communities have been without power for an extended period, and we are doing everything we can to restore it as quickly and safely as possible.

As flood levels start to recede customers are reminded not to enter a property that has been affected by flood waters without first ensuring the power has been shut off or disconnected.

For customers returning home, it’s important to note that to ensure their safety, Essential Energy may have disconnected their power if there is evidence of the property being inundated with water. If this is the case, customers will need to arrange for a qualified electrician to visually inspect and test their electrical installation supply and for an Accredited Service Provider (ASP) or Essential Energy to reconnect their power.

Extreme weather and flooding continue to cause disruptions along the Mid North Coast. Essential Energy is working hand-in-hand with emergency services to ensure the safety of the community, emergency service personnel, and our teams.

Currently, there are 3,896 homes and businesses without power on the Essential Energy network. The most heavily impacted areas include Kempsey, Port Macquarie and Taree. Our crews were able to restore power to a large number of customers in Taree today.

Safe access to survey damage to the network has been challenging due to fallen trees and branches and active flood zones. Today in Taree, helicopters have been used to give us a bird's eye view of inaccessible areas, which will aid restoration efforts. Essential Energy crews from across the state are on standby, ready to be deployed as soon as it's safe.

We understand that some communities have been without power for an extended period, and we are doing everything we can to restore it as quickly and safely as possible.

As flood levels start to recede customers are reminded not to enter a property that has been affected by flood waters without first ensuring the power has been shut off or disconnected.

For customers returning home, it’s important to note that to ensure their safety, Essential Energy may have disconnected their power if there is evidence of the property being inundated with water. If this is the case, customers will need to arrange for a qualified electrician to visually inspect and test their electrical installation supply and for an Accredited Service Provider (ASP) or Essential Energy to reconnect their power.

There are currently just over 5,720 homes and businesses without power in the Essential Energy network. The most heavily impacted areas include Taree, Port Macquarie and Kempsey.

Crews will continue work to restore power as quickly as safety allows and where possible to do so. Safe access remains a challenge with flood waters, fallen trees and branches, impacting the network and causing delays. Weather-permitting, helicopters and drones may be used to assess inaccessible areas, to aid restoration efforts.

Some communities may be without power for extended periods of time due to these ongoing challenges. Essential Energy recommends:

• unplugging sensitive electronic equipment such as televisions and computers
• minimising the use of electronic devices to increase battery life
• minimising opening fridge and freezer doors
• keeping a portable radio, torch, spare batteries and candles on hand
• vulnerable people should enact their emergency plans and call triple-zero if help is needed.

Our website outages page is regularly updated with impacted locations and estimated restoration times when known.

There are currently just over 5,200 homes and businesses without power in the Essential Energy network. Current outages stretch from Tuncurry to Woolgoolga along the coast, and inland to Gloucester.

As of 1:30pm today, 22 May 2025, the following towns and surrounding areas have over 100 customers without power (please note numbers are approximate):

• Nambucca Heads - 139 customers
• Port Macquarie – 955 customers
• Taree – 3,548 customers
• Gloucester - 471 customers

Crews have been able to re-energise the Kempsey CBD as flood levels have stabilised. The situation will continue to be actively monitored for tidal changes and flood levels. We are proactively turning off the electricity network in flood-affected areas experiencing rising inundation, as a safety precaution to protect the public, our crews and the network.

Fallen trees and branches, as well as access issues due to rising floodwaters and active flood zones are causing delays in restoration of power. Where safe to do so, Essential Energy will assess inaccessible areas via helicopter.

Our website outages page is regularly updated with impacted locations and estimated restoration times when known.

In addition to adhering to electricity safety measures, we recommend checking the SES website to stay up to date with current warnings and how to access emergency assistance including accommodation and evacuation centres.

There are currently just over 5,900 homes and businesses without power in the Essential Energy network.

As of 11:00am today, 22 May 2025, the following towns and surrounding areas have over 100 customers without power (please note numbers are approximate):

• Nambucca Heads - 139 customers
• Kempsey - 126 customers
• Port Macquarie – 1,414 customers
• Taree – 3,706 customers
• Gloucester - 471 customers

With floodwaters continuing to rise in many locations, we’ve begun proactively turning off the electricity network in flood-affected areas experiencing rising inundation, as a safety precaution to protect the public, our crews and the network. This currently includes the central business districts (CBD) of Kempsey and Taree.

Crews have been mobilised from surrounding areas to assist local teams, and will continue to assess the network and restore power where safe to do so. Fallen trees and branches, as well as access issues due to rising floodwaters and active flood zones are causing delays. Where safe to do so, Essential Energy will assess inaccessible areas via helicopter.

Our website outages page is being updated with impacted locations and estimated restoration times when known.

In addition to adhering to electricity safety measures, we recommend checking the SES website to stay up to date with current warnings and how to access emergency assistance including accommodation and evacuation centres.

Extreme weather including heavy rain is continuing to cause severe flooding and difficult conditions through areas of the Mid North Coast.

Currently, the most heavily impacted areas are towns and villages are in the Bellingen Shire, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Macleay, Manning Valley and Barrington regions. Towns include Bellingen, Thora, Urunga, Macksville, Bowraville, Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Kempsey and the area from Taree to Gloucester as well as surrounding townships.

As of 6:00am, there were just over 5,300 Mid North Coast homes and businesses without power in the Essential Energy network. The number has remained stable overnight.

We’ve mobilised crews from other areas to support local Mid North Coast teams, and will continue to assess the network and restore power where safe to do so. Fallen trees and branches, as well as access issues due to rising floodwaters and active flood zones are causing delays. Where safe to do so, we will assess inaccessible areas via helicopter.

With floodwaters continuing to rise in many locations across the Mid North Coast, we have begun proactively turning off the electricity network in flood-affected areas experiencing rising inundation. This is a safety precaution to protect the public, our crews and the network.

We have been closely working with emergency services to ensure the safety of the community, emergency service personnel and Essential Energy teams.

As of 3:00pm there were just over 6,100 Mid North Coast homes and businesses without power.

With floodwaters rising in many locations across the Mid North Coast, we have commenced proactively turning off the electricity network in flood-affected areas experiencing rising inundation. This is a safety precaution to protect the public, our crews and the network.

People should assume powerlines and electricity infrastructure are live and be vigilant if moving about in boats or watercraft.

Continued heavy rain and rising floodwaters overnight have further impacted the electricity network and prevented Essential Energy crews from restoring power in some areas.

At 8:30am this morning, approximately 3,700 homes and businesses are without power between Smiths Lake, Dungog and Coffs Harbour, with majority of customers impacted in Taree, Wingham, Tinonee, Burrell Creek, Hillville and surrounds.

Vegetation has brought down powerlines, damaged electricity equipment across a widespread area, with floodwater inundating parts of the electricity network, requiring power to be proactively turned off to ensure community safety.

Crews will be out again today, assessing damage and completing repairs where it is safe to do so. Currently, the biggest challenge for crews is safe access to the electricity network and working on the network in the torrential rain.

Crews from other Essential Energy depots have been brought in to assist local teams complete repairs as quickly as safety will allow. Helicopters and drones will be used where conditions permit, to assess the damage to the network in inaccessible areas.

Affected customers with medical equipment that requires electricity to operate are encouraged to make alternative arrangements to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

Customers are reminded to stay vigilant and be aware of possible electrical dangers during flooding situations. As rivers rise, anyone on a boat or other watercraft is a lot closer to powerlines and should always assume powerlines are live.

We again thank customers for their patience and understanding as our crews work to restore power as quickly and safely as possible in challenging conditions.

Over 6,200 homes and businesses across the lower Mid North Coast experienced power interruptions overnight due to the storm that moved through the area. Strong winds and fallen vegetation have caused significant damage to powerlines and parts of the electricity network.

Crews are working as quickly as safety allows to assess the network and begin repairs, however efforts have been hampered in many locations by floodwaters, torrential rain and vegetation.

The most heavily impacted areas are Dungog, Gloucester, Taree, Wingham, Manning Point, Pacific Palms, Bulahdelah, Kew and surrounding areas.

We understand how challenging the situation is, and recommend customers enact their power contingency plans as extended delays are likely. Estimated times of restoration will be posted on our outage page once known.