Power restored in Sydney after mass blackout

Power has been restored to 30,000 homes and businesses, and dozens of traffic lights following a two-hour blackout in Sydney.

A fault on an insulator inside Ausgrid’s Meadowbank zone substation triggered the blackout in areas around Eastwood, West Ryde, Ryde, Rhodes, Meadowbank, Putney and Denistone about 5pm.

Forty-two sets of traffic lights were not working in the areas, with a number of roads including Victoria Road and Homebush Bay Drive affected.

Approximately 30,000 homes were also without power in Rhodes, Ryde, West Ryde, Eastwood, Denistone East and Marsfield.

Power was restored about 7.15pm, from another part of the network.

Traffic through these suburbs will remain heavy and motorists are advised to follow the directions of police on site.

Rhodes shopping centre was earlier evacuated following the power outage.

Crews remain on site where there will be ongoing repairs to the damaged insulator.

For the latest traffic information, visit www.livetraffic.com or call 132 701.

For the latest public transport information, visit www.transportnsw.info