What caused the Gulargambone outage on 23 February?

A nearby bushfire triggered line protection, which cut power to about 470 customers. Crews isolated sections, patrolled for hazards, and restored supply after safety checks. A local report confirms the cause and response steps, including coordination with emergency services and staged re-energisation to keep the community safe during fire conditions.

Why does a short outage matter to investors?

Repeated short cuts can affect grid reliability measures, lift maintenance and insurance costs, and disrupt local business revenue. Over time, these effects can influence regulatory outcomes and capital plans. Tracking seasonal patterns helps investors judge whether risks are contained or building, and whether spending is targeted to the highest-risk corridors.

What can networks do to cut bushfire-season risk?

Key steps include more vegetation clearing, insulated conductor in exposed spans, faster fault isolation, remote switching, and selective undergrounding. Stand-alone power systems and microgrids can help at the edge of the grid. These measures aim to reduce the chance and scale of a power outage while keeping spending efficient and targeted.

How can small businesses prepare for future fire-season cuts?

Keep backup power options ready, maintain surge protection, and test cold-chain procedures. Ensure payment systems can operate offline. Save key contacts for the distributor and insurers, and follow local alerts. These steps can reduce stock losses and downtime if a power outage occurs during peak bushfire risk in regional NSW.

Global Market Insights

Power Outage, February 23: Bushfire Cuts Supply in Gulargambone NSW

ByHuzaifa Zahoor February 22, 2026February 22, 2026

A bushfire-driven power outage in Gulargambone on 23 February cut electricity to roughly 470 customers before crews restored supply. The event highlights bushfire risk to grid reliability across regional NSW and the importance of clear response plans. For investors, even short disruptions can shape capex needs, insurance costs, and operational risk for networks and local businesses. A local report confirms the cause and restoration steps taken by crews, including asset patrols and safety checks based on fire conditions Western Plains App report.