Power outages can occur due to a range of factors from maintenance to natural disasters. If you’re experiencing a blackout, or you’d like to be prepared for one, here’s how you can stay up-to-date with the status of your connection and the steps to take to keep safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you experience a blackout, it\u2019s important to contact your local distributor. Your energy distributor is the company that owns and operates the poles, wires and grid that provide your home with energy. Your distributor\u2019s determined by where you live so you don\u2019t get to choose them \u2013 unlike your energy retailer (Origin).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your local distributor can provide info about the cause of the outage and will likely be able to provide you with an estimated time when the power will be restored in your area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some postcodes have several distributors. If you see more than one listed you can confirm which one services your area by looking at your bill<\/a>. Their number will be listed under \u2018Faults and Emergencies\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t have your bill handy, we\u2019ve got you covered. Just pop your postcode into our Distributor Look-up Tool<\/a> and we\u2019ll tell you who your distributor is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your number one priority during a power outage is to stay safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be careful not to burn yourself when using candles and other open flames for light, and keep naked flames away from any flammable materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try to keep your cold and frozen food cold by moving it all to the freezer and only opening the freezer and fridge when necessary to keep it as cold as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s generally recommended that food can be kept and eaten for up to 4 hours and then it must be thrown away or, if it’s raw meat, cooked and eaten. When your power’s restored, if your frozen food is still solid, the food should be safe to refreeze \u2013 but approach this on a case by case basis. In the event of an extended power outage, you may be eligible for a credit to reimburse you for spoiled goods. Your local distributor will be able to advise whether you’re eligible for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have neighbours or relatives that may have special needs (such as the elderly or those with a disability), be supportive. Check up on them to make sure they\u2019re safe and provide assistance where you can. When you initially connect your solar system<\/a> to the network, you need to abide by the network’s connection standard. This means the inverter must follow grid operation. So if the grid’s down the inverter needs to, and will, shut down automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is because linesmen may be harmed when repairing faulty electricity wires travelling back into the grid from your solar system<\/a>. After the repairs have been made, your solar power system will automatically turn on during daylight hours. If you have a battery backup system<\/a> connected to your solar system<\/a>, then depending on the wiring, some internal services like your fridge could still be operated by the batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many garage doors feature a manual release function to bypass the opening mechanism during power outages, so don\u2019t fear. To activate this, depending on your door, there will be a short rope hanging down that usually ends with a red, T-shaped handle. Pull this cord to release the door from the drive chain or belt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pulling this cord will allow you to manually raise your garage door. When power comes back on, you may have to manually reset your garage door\u2019s automatic opening system. If you have any issues, contact your garage door installer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a flood or bushfire has caused a power outage in your home, you need to act appropriately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re impacted by flooding or a damaging storm, your best point of contact is your State Emergency Service (SES):<\/p>\n\n\n\n Electricity and natural gas supplies are often disconnected during bushfires for safety reasons. Contact your local distributor<\/a> to get an update on whether a disconnection has occurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re in a high-risk location for a bushfire, contact your state fire service:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have any further questions, our emergencies page<\/a> can give you tips about what to do in the case of bushfires and floods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If there is a severe weather event predicted in your area, here are a few useful tips and resources to help ensure your home is prepared. In any weather event, your local distributor is your best contact for outage info. You can find your distributor’s contact details on the first page of your bill, or by popping your postcode into our look up tool<\/a>. Jot these down and keep them handy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have life support at your property, ensure you are across your backup plan and have planned for access to your nearest hospital.\u2060<\/p>\n\n\n\n A home that’s well prepared for bushfire season is more likely to survive a bushfire or ember attack according to the NSW Rural Fire Service<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are their maintenance tips<\/a> to ensure your home is bushfire ready: <\/p>\n\n\n\n With TVs, computers and gaming consoles off the table (unless they’re battery operated of course), we’ve pulled together some easy ways to keep the kids entertained whilst waiting for power to be restored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to learn more about power outages, how this might affect your home or how to be better prepared, we recommend visiting your local distributors<\/a> website. <\/p>\n\n\n\nMy power’s out, what do I do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Be energy safe<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Food safety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you have any questions, contact the Department of Health and Human Services on 1300 364 352. <\/p>\n\n\n\nTake care of one another<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If a neighbour or relative has life support, and their supply has been affected, help assist them to the nearest hospital if safe to do so. If it\u2019s not safe, reach out to the ambulance service by calling triple zero (000).<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat will happen to my solar system?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I have an electric garage door, what should I do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What if a natural disaster or emergency is occurring?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Floods or storms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Bushfires<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Preparing for a natural disaster or wild weather<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
For storms or cyclones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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For bushfires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Tips for keeping the kids entertained <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Have any more questions?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n