Airlift of emergency fuel complete

04 Mar 2009

Power and Water provides services to more than 70 remote communities across the Territory. Due to extensive flooding, roads have been impassable by heavy vehicles to the community of Alpurrurulam since mid-January. Down to five days fuel, Power and Water completed an emergency airlift of fuel over the weekend to keep the 500 strong community’s power station running.

Power and Water's Manager, Remote Operations South, Len Griffiths, said ‘Despite very hot and difficult conditions the whole operation of loading, unloading and transferring of the fuel to bulk storage tanks went smoothly. With the assistance of Barkly Shire officers on the ground, the airlift was completed by late Saturday.

'Safe road access may not be possible for at least another six weeks and we already have contingency plans in place to fly in another load of fuel if necessary.’

Two stripped out aircraft, flying 12 trips from the nearest take off point of Mt Isa, flew in 200, 44-gallon drums of diesel to provide at least five weeks supply to the power station.

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