STREET lighting in Boorowa Street seems to have been very conspicuous by its absence lately and it is a situation that the Council is not responsible for according to Young Shire Council’s director of planning and environment, Craig Filmer.

“Like nearly all other councils we only pay for the infrastructure and pay Country Energy a fixed annual fee to keep the street lights in working order,” Mr Filmer said.

“I understand they are having some problems with Boorowa Street at the moment and that they are working like crazy to fix it,” Mr Filmer said.

Young has had a constant growth rate of between .9 to one percent per annum for the last 16 years, so can Country Energy keep up?

Country Energy spokesperson, Donna McFeeters, said absolutely.

Ms McFeeters said Country Energy had only just invested $4 million in upgrade work including the refurbishment of the Young zone sub-station and sees no problem with the local supply.

“The current problem with the streetlights in Boorowa Street is an entirely different issue that relates to the underground supply,” Ms McFeeters said.

“We have isolated a blown circuit and unfortunately, to repair it, we are going to have to dig up some footpath in that street.

“At the moment we are working closely with Council to determine the best time to do this,” she said.

Young Shire Council general manager, Peter Vlatko, said he was aware of the problem but had not yet been officially approached by Country Energy, although he was under the impression that any footpath that had to be dug up was around the light poles themselves, and the full cost of that activity would be carried by Country Energy.