MORE than 100,000 homes were without power tonight after a mass blackout caused chaos across Melbourne.

MORE than 100,000 homes were without power tonight after a mass blackout caused chaos across Melbourne.

Widespread power failures saw more than 150 calls made to 000 around 5.30pm, as people reported blackouts in the eastern suburbs as far as Blackburn and down to Brighton and the southeastern suburbs.

VicRoads reported about 50 sets of traffic lights across the city were also out of action, forcing police to direct traffic at a number of major intersections, including on the Nepean Highway.

Police made a public call for drivers to take extra care on the roads

United Energy said more than 100,000 residential and retail customers in an area from Cheltenham in the south to Burwood in the east were affected for more than 40 minutes.

Other suburbs hit included Surrey Hills, Camberwell, Brighton, Mordialloc Beaumaris, Highett and Clayton.

Power supplies were also knocked out for 11,800 CitiPower residential and business customers in the Camberwell area.

The problem originated with transmission load failures at two power stations in Heatherton and Springvale.

SP Ausnet spokesman Sarah Ward said the two power stations were down from 5.20pm to 5.39pm. It was yet to work out the cause.

“With statewide electricity, it will take some time to drill down as to what the cause of the fault was,” she said.

“We are looking into it..’’

The blackout added to commuter pain. Train passengers complained that several lines were delayed after a derailment on the Frankston line earlier today.

Police and SES said no accidents had yet been reported as a result of the power failure

Social media users reported no electricity in suburbs including Noble Park, Brighton, Bentleigh, Glen Waverly, Forest Hill, Blackburn and Box Hill, and frightening drives home in the dark.