Picture this; you’ve just walked in the door, kicked off your boots and headed straight for the fridge after a long, hard day at work. Before you can even relax and switch on your favourite TV show, the power goes out. Unfortunately, power outages can strike when you least expect it, leaving many households vulnerable. Yet, just because blackouts are virtually impossible to predict, it doesn’t mean that you and your family can’t be prepared.
In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of power outages in Australia, and equip you with the knowledge on who to contact should the lights go out at your place.
On this page:
What is a power outage?
A power outage is when the supply of electricity or gas to a household or business is interrupted for a number of reasons — this is also referred to as a ‘blackout’ when it impacts an entire neighbourhood or city, rather than just one building. Depending on the severity of the outage, loss of power can last anywhere between a few minutes to weeks, and will usually affect specific areas or electricity grids.
What causes electricity outages?
Power outages can occur at any time caused by:
- Weather: Heavy rainfall, heatwaves, high winds and lightning strikes
- Vehicles: Motor accidents damaging powerlines
- Bushfires: Electricity supply can be cut during emergencies
- Animals: Wildlife can interfere with energy infrastructure
- Maintenance: Sudden drops in electricity supply can short or trip circuits
Blackouts can also occur when overhanging branches or trees come into contact with powerlines.
How to prepare for a power outage
As the old adage goes: it’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. With this in mind, here are some essentials you should keep handy in preparation for a blackout:
- Torch
- Candles
- Matches or a lighter
- Batteries
- Radio
- Bottled water and non-perishable foods
- Fire extinguisher or fire blanket
- First aid kit
- List of important contacts
- Portable phone charger
If the power goes out, or you suspect it will for whatever reason (e.g. a severe weather warning), turn off all your appliances at the wall. You should also leave a light switch on so you’ll know when the power has been restored.
How to find power outages in your area
You can check for electricity outages, or the loss of gas supply, by jumping onto the website of your local energy distributor. It’s the distributor who is responsible for delivering power safely to your home or business, as well as maintaining powerlines, pipes and transmission grids in your area.
Generally, your energy distributor will have a power outage map on its website where you can input your street, suburb or postcode and receive frequent updates of any outages reported in your locality. The example below comes from Energex, the electricity distributor for south-east Queensland.
Not entirely sure who your energy distributor is? That’s fine. Keep reading to find your gas or electricity distribution network.
Who is my electricity or gas distributor?
For electricity or gas outages, you will need to contact your local energy distributor. Here’s a list of every distribution network’s contact details in Australia:
Distributors in VIC
Electricity
Location | Electricity Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
Melbourne City and inner suburbs | CitiPower | 131 280 |
Northern and south-western suburbs | Jemena | 131 626 |
Western suburbs and western Victoria | Powercor Australia | 132 412 |
Outer northern and eastern suburbs and eastern Victoria | Ausnet Services | 131 799 |
Southern suburbs and Mornington Peninsula | United Energy Distribution | 132 099 |
Gas
Location | Gas Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
Nationwide | Australian Gas Networks | 1800 898 220 |
Eastern suburbs | Multinet Gas Networks | 132 691 |
Outer northern and eastern suburbs and eastern Victoria | AusNet Services | 136 707 |
Distributors in NSW
Electricity
Location | Electricity Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
Southern/western metropolitan Sydney and surrounds | Endeavour Energy | 131 003 |
Country & regional NSW and southern regional QLD | Essential Energy | 132 080 |
Inner, northern & eastern metropolitan Sydney and surrounds | Ausgrid | 131 388 |
Gas
Location | Gas Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
Tamworth | Central Ranges System | 1800 676 300 |
Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Wollongong and parts of country NSW | Jemena Gas Networks NSW | 131 909 |
Wagga Wagga | Wagga Wagga Gas Distribution Network | 1800 898 220 |
Distributors in QLD
Electricity
Location | Electricity Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast & surrounds | Energex | 136 262 |
Country and regional QLD | Ergon Energy | 132 296 |
Gas
Location | Gas Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
South of the Brisbane River, South Coast, Toowoomba & Oakey | Allgas Energy (gas) | 1300 763 106 |
All of QLD | Australian Gas Networks | 1800 898 220 |
Distributors in the ACT
Electricity
Location | Electricity Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
Most of the ACT | EvoEnergy | 131 093 |
A small portion of the ACT and Queanbeyan area | Essential Energy | 132 080 |
Gas
Location | Gas Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
All of the ACT | EvoEnergy | 131 093 |
Distributors in SA
Electricity
Location | Electricity Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
All of SA | SA Power Networks | 131 366 |
Gas
Location | Gas Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
All of SA | Australian Gas Networks SA | 1800 898 220 |
Distributors in TAS
Electricity
Location | Electricity Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
All of Tasmania | TasNetworks | 132 004 |
Gas
Location | Gas Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
All of Tasmania | Tas Gas Networks | 1802 111 |
Distributors in NT
Electricity
Location | Electricity Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
All of NT | Power and Water Corporation | 1800 245 092 |
Gas
Location | Gas Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
All of NT | Australian Gas Networks | 1800 898 220 |
Distributors in WA
Electricity
Location | Electricity Distributor | Faults Contact Number |
---|---|---|
South West Interconnected System | Western Power | 131 351 |
Rural Western Australia | Horizon Power | 132 351 |
Gas customers in Western Australia should refer to the Public Utilities Office, the Economic Regulation Authority (ERA), or the Energy Ombudsman Western Australia for any energy-related queries.
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How long can an outage last?
In many cases, outages only last for short periods of time and are usually resolved within an estimated timeframe according to your energy distribution network. This will, however, depend on whether the interruption is due to equipment faults, environmental impacts, third party contact, cable digging, or weather-related damage.
Unfortunately, Australia is no stranger to extreme weather events like bushfires, cyclones, floods and hailstorms. Our harsh climate can often impact the nation’s energy infrastructure, bringing down powerlines and damaging electricity grids – often resulting in longer durations without power. Given that no two weather events are the same, it is extremely difficult to give an exact timeframe of how long a power outage will last, but your energy distributor will generally try to keep you updated in the process.
Power is currently out to customers in Centennial Park, Moore Park, Redfern and surrounding suburbs. Our crew are working to safely restore power. For more info: https://t.co/bZtdLPjc9L
— Ausgrid (@Ausgrid) February 26, 2022
What are planned power outages?
A scheduled power outage is essentially the planned maintenance of energy infrastructure, usually carried out by the distributor. Much like a car, distribution networks, powerlines and gas pipes require constant upkeep to ensure that electricity and gas supplies run efficiently and safely to homes and businesses.
Planned energy outages will normally be listed on your distributor’s website. Depending on your distributor, the following information should be provided:
- Outage start date and time
- Suburbs or postcodes impacted by power interruption
- Number of customers affected
- Scheduled completion date and time
- ID or job number
- Status (i.e. scheduled, in progress or finished)
So, there you have it. Next time you’re without power, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect and who to call.
Picture credits: papi8888/Shutterstock.com
Original Author: Jared Mullane
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