The state government has warned Ballarat residents to limit their energy use on the coldest weekend of the year.
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A spokesman for the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources said the cold could mean more stress on the terminal station in Warrenheip, which currently has one transformer running instead of the usual two.
“There is enough power for everyone, we’re just asking people to use it in the most efficient way,” said Eugene Dolgikh.
“The main message is to look after those who are vulnerable in the cold.”
But he also said people should be ready for a blackout.
“Have back-ups in place, such as a torch, spare batteries, a battery powered radio to listen for any emergency updates and a fully charged mobile phone, laptop or iPad for accessing additional information,” he said.
Ballarat will drop to 7 degrees for a cold and wet Saturday and inch down to 6 degrees by Sunday.
Wind and rain are expected to punctuate the chill on both days, and snow is expected to fall just a few hundred metres above Ballarat.
AusNet Services, which runs the terminal station, has said they had no concerns.
“Despite one transformer being taken out of service at our terminal station last week, there’s been no impact to the electricity supply into Ballarat,” said spokesman Jonathon Geddes.
Mr Dolgikh also warned over using unsafe heaters in the polar blast.
“Be safe and aware of fire hazards with candles and faulty heating equipment. This includes the use of outdoor heating appliances and generators inside the home, which can result in carbon monoxide poisoning,” he said.
Ballarat last year tragically saw what the incorrect use of a heater could do, with a couple and their dog dying in a car from carbon monoxide poisoning while trying to keep warm.
The risk of an electricity outage increased after one of the massive transformers went offline last week due to a fault, the nature of which AusNet Services has not released.
Key services in Ballarat are not at risk in an outage, with the Base Hospital and satellite services able to rely on a generator system to keep powered.
Mr Dolgikh said residents should make sure vulnerable people were ready before the coldest temperatures hit.
“If you know someone who might need an extra hand to prepare, please reach out to them and make sure they are aware of the situation and what they might need to do,” he said.
Information on what to do in a blackout is available at energyandresources.vic.gov.au.
