Roast Gabba Stadium and persistent power issues

[Chadwiko]

Yeah, yeah. Lights went out at the Gabba tonight. And it's embarrassing for the stadium and the AFL. Great content though:





But it's actually just the latest episode in a saga surrounding the power supply at the Gabba.

When TV networks broadcast from the Gabba, they have to bring in their own generators to supply their broadcast trucks. It's the only major stadium in Australia where this is the case, and it's because the Gabba is the only major stadium in Australia where the Light Towers don't run off dedicated power, but instead are connected to the 'main' power supply.

Here's a great article from the 2021 Ashes talking about how it's a genuine issue: Gabba’s double power failure explained and why risk will continue

Relevant extract:

Sources have told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that the Gabba is the only major stadium in Australian cricket where the mains power supply at the ground is not sufficient to fire up the vast array of broadcast trucks and devices needed to beam pictures around the world.

That’s because the base power in the precinct is required to supply the Gabba’s light towers – one of which infamously went down during a Big Bash League match in 2019 – and the ground itself.

As a result, broadcasters draw their primary power supply from a huge, diesel-fuelled generator hired for the Test match, with back-up power meant to be derived from a back-up generator.

The Gabba is due for a complete rebuild, that will also address the power supply, in time for Brisbane to host the 2032 Olympics. But major work is not expected to begin until around 2028.

In short - this is a risk that is going to continue for the next 5 years...

 

[Juddernaut08]

very interesting

 

[FireKrakouer]

I noticed that the power to the LED advertisement banners continued on uninterrupted. I guess some circuits are worth the cost of backing up and some aren't, lol.

 

[BigRedRoo]

The Queensland Government has responded by saying they have investigated the blackout a traced it to someone in Gympie turning on an Air-conditioner.
A government spokesperson said they will install even more Solar panels at the stadium to avoid this kind of thing happening again.

 

[pattymalone00]

Is it a problem with the light towers design or is there any reason they didnt change to led lights in the light towers when they added them to the lights on the roof?

 

[iBeng]

Move us to Tassie.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

I noticed that the power to the LED advertisement banners continued on uninterrupted. I guess some circuits are worth the cost of backing up and some aren't, lol.

Half of them on the camera side of the ground died. Be just the way they're connected. There would be more than one power feed into the Gabba.

 

[brutus76]

Surely when they rebuild it for the undercover levels the y are adding they'll make it LED lighting a la OPTUS in Perth and donate those towers to someone else

 

[Cleavy]

forgot to rotate the hamsters again

 

[Strange Cat]

forgot to rotate the hamsters again

Must had been the Bigfooty hamster side gig last night

 

[JackFlash]

Queen Annastacia just says "stop your whinging", never mind the cost blowout of $2 billion for the Olympic games that no one wants. The Gabba will be rebuilt by 2032, let's hope some of that blowout dough goes to powering up the lights. Gabba Gabba Hey!

 

[108CAM]

We were watching from home and started talking about the similar issue that happened at VFL/Waverley Park in the 1990's.

 

[kickazz]

Didn't watch last night, but from that video above, it appears the power outage also affected BT's microphone? Was that the case?

If they could isolate the outage somehow.... you know where I'm going. Everyone wins.

 

[royboy2]

One would hope they upgrade the power grid with $2.7bn redevelopment for the Olympics

 

[qman]

Ghosts of the XFL!

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Didn't watch last night, but from that video above, it appears the power outage also affected BT's microphone? Was that the case?

If they could isolate the outage somehow.... you know where I'm going. Everyone wins.

It would have effected the broadcast a bit before thier generators kicked in

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Surely when they rebuild it for the undercover levels the y are adding they'll make it LED lighting a la OPTUS in Perth and donate those towers to someone else

I'm actually surprised those light towers don't have LEDs.
20 minutes wait time just to turn them on after being switched off.

 

[Billy ray]

Well they did warn us it won’t be easy under Albanese