Eagle Farm blackout caused by overload

The 90 minute blackout at Eagle Farm on Melbourne Cup day was caused by an overload and a back-up generator not being installed by Brisbane Racing Club.

The blackout occurred immediately before the main race of the day, forcing many attendees at the event to watch on their phones or leave to view it at another venue.

Queensland Energy Minister Mark Bailey blamed the club for the blackout, saying BRC had not informed Energex of the additional energy requirements prior to the event.

โ€œWhat we saw was a whole range of temporary load added in there, from refrigeration and air conditioning, so a lot greater load, which tripped the system,โ€ Mr Bailey said.

The BRC is working with Energex to find the exact cause, but the club said they had a long history of holding events on Melbourne Cup Day and they had not had a power failure before.

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