Electrical emergencies and outages
132 004

If you've lost power or want to report fallen powerlines

General enquiries
1300 137 008

For general enquiries, call from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm

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Life support equipment

We understand a continuous power supply is very important to you as a life support customer. However, we’re unable to guarantee supply of electricity 100% of the time. Are you prepared in the event of a power outage?
 

Planned power outages

If we need to interrupt your power to undertake planned maintenance or construction, we'll give you at least 4 business days’ written notice so you can make alternative arrangements.

View current power outages 

Unplanned power outages

In the case of an unplanned power outage, please call us on 132 004. When your call is answered, let us know you're a life support customer. We'll endeavour to have your power restored as soon as we can. There may be reasons beyond our control (such as vehicle accidents or extreme weather) that can affect the power supply to your area for an extended period of time.
 

Life Support FAQs

  • Do I get a discount on my bill for being a life support customer?
    The life support concession is a daily discount on your electricity bill for customers who use approved life support equipment or live with someone who does. This concession can only be claimed once for your primary place of residence, however, if you have more than one life support device you may be able to claim the discount for each eligible device. The daily discount depends on the machine used. For the current daily discount rates, please contact your electricity retailer. 

    To apply for this concession you will need to complete this Life Support Concession Application Form (PDF) and send it to your electricity retailer. This form is also available from your electricity retailer and Service Tasmania.

  • Can I use my home phone during a power outage?

    You won’t be able to use your landline phone if it is plugged into an NBN modem and there’s a power outage. All types of landline phones (cordless phones, as well as older style un-powered corded phones) will not work during a power outage. This is because the NBN requires power at both the exchange and within the home to operate. Your electronic equipment (such as modems, cordless phones, TVs and Wi-Fi routers) connected over the NBN will need separate battery backup to work in a power outage. Even with battery back-up, power outages may last longer than the battery life and you should be prepared to be without landline internet and telephone services for a period of time. You should talk to your equipment provider about whether your device will work when connected to the NBN and what alternative solutions are available if it doesn’t.

  • Does being a life support customer guarantee me priority restoration in the event of a power outage?

    While we prioritise life support customers as much as possible, being a life support customer does not guarantee uninterrupted power supply or prioritised restoration in all instances. During storms, restoration works are scheduled in order of priority:

    • Safety first: for our crew and the public
    • Essential services: restore power to public safety facilities where possible, such as hospitals, nursing homes, police stations and fire stations
    • Extent of the damage: number of customers affected
    • After storms, power is restored in a sequential manner. Faults closest to the source of power (usually a substation) must be fixed first.
  • Can you provide me with a generator?

    No, we’re unable to supply generators. If electricity supply is critical, consult an electrician to hire a generator (at your own cost). If your home or business is dependent upon a continuous supply of power, then consider installing an uninterruptible power supply device

  • What happens if the power goes out unexpectedly while I am sleeping?

    We understand a continuous power supply is very important to you as a life support customer, however we’re unable to guarantee supply of electricity 100% of the time. You should discuss suitable plans of action in the event of a power outage with your health care provider and consider installing an uninterruptible power supply device, such as battery back-up. Contact an electrician for information about this.

  • How can I maintain power supply to my life support equipment during an outage?

    There are a number of ways you can ensure a supply of power to your life support equipment and other essential appliances during an outage. These include:

    • There are a range of rechargeable portable batteries that can be used with life support equipment. These batteries can be used wherever mains power is not available and can provide a handy back-up during unexpected power outages. Talk to your equipment provider to find out what options are available.
    • Consider installing an uninterruptible power supply device, such as a hard wired battery storage system. Battery storage systems help to ensure a steady and constant power supply within your premises and can provide the necessary backup power supply to run some or all of your household appliances during an outage.
    • You could also consider using a portable diesel or petrol generator which can be used to provide power supply to domestic appliances during an outage. Portable generators should only be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions as misuse can be dangerous.

    In all instances you should contact an electrician and/or your equipment manufacturer to discuss the most suitable options for your needs.

  • What is a Life Support Action Plan?

    In case of a power outage, you should have a Life Support Action Plan to minimise the impact on your health. Ensuring you have a plan of action in place will help you make timely decisions about your life support requirements when planned or unplanned power outages occur. When developing your Life Support Action Plan, it is important for you to consider appropriate options with your doctor or life support equipment supplier.

  • How will I be notified of a planned power outage?

    If we need to interrupt your power to undertake planned maintenance or construction, we’ll give you at least 4 business days’ written notice so you can make alternative arrangements. Affected customers will be notified via mail and SMS for those who have a mobile number listed with their retailer. In the event of an emergency, we may not be able to give you adequate notice.

  • I have received a notification of a planned power outage, what should I do?

    Life support customers will be notified at least 4 business days in advance of any planned interruptions. This will give you time to make alternative arrangements during planned power outages. You should discuss suitable plans of action in the event of a power outage with your health care professional. An action plan may include options of going to another location like a neighbour’s house, relative’s house or the nearest hospital.

  • What causes unplanned power outages?

    Although we’re committed to providing reliable power to our customers, 24 hours a day, unexpected events can cause the power to go out. These can include storms or high winds causing powerlines to clash, trees or foliage touching or falling onto powerlines, lightning, electrical faults, bushfires, vehicle accidents (like a car hitting a power pole) and wildlife.

  • What can you do to prepare for power outages?
    • Consider installing an uninterruptible power supply device. Contact an electrician for information about this.
    • Discuss suitable plans of action in the event of a power outage with your health care professional. An action plan may include options of going to another location like a neighbour's house, relative's house or the nearest hospital.
    • ​Have important information on hand such as names, addresses and phone numbers of your doctor, the nearest hospital, a neighbour or someone nearby who can assist you
  • Why can’t you tell me when my power will be restored?

    When a power outage happens, we work to restore power as safely and as quickly as possible. Our crews don’t know how long a job will take to repair until they are on site and assess the cause and damage. Once assessed, we provide an approximate restoration time on our website and via SMS to those customer that are subscribed to SMS services.

  • Why is it taking so long to restore my power?

    In some instances during severe weather conditions, it’s not safe for our crews to work. Powerline repairs may take longer as crews may need to rely on other services (emergency services, tree trimmers and road clearing crews) before they can start restoration.

    The following conditions and safety issues can delay restoration efforts:
    • Heavy rain, flooding and snowy conditions can impact access to power infrastructure
    • Crews are not allowed to work up power poles if there is lightning (as lightning strikes the highest point)
    • Crews cannot work up power poles or on elevated work platforms in strong winds
    • Our crews can’t work in an active fire zone

    Our crews can only work up to 16 hours in a 24-hour period. Crews also have to manage fatigue with meal breaks and driving breaks.

    After storms, power is restored in a sequential manner. Faults closest to the source of power (usually a substation) must be fixed first. Unfortunately, this means customers further away from the substation experience longer outages. This is often the case in rural areas.