Jemena

Summer safety

Helping protect our vital community from bushfires this summer

Jemena is one of the five electricity distribution companies in Victoria, which own the poles and wires delivering electricity to homes and businesses. Jemena is responsible for the safe and reliable distribution to approximately 315,000 customers across Melbourne's north-western suburbs. Over the past year, we have significantly upgraded our network and undertaken critical maintenance work to help ensure supply reliability to our customers.

Stay safe, be prepared and act now

Jemena is committed to doing everything possible to ensure your electricity supply needs are met in all weather conditions. However, once again this summer, we need to be prepared for the possibility of extreme weather. In such conditions, your electricity supply cannot be guaranteed at all times. This means you need to be able to take care of yourself and your family in the event of a loss of power for a short or an extended period.

How you can prepare for an electricity power outage

  • Be prepared for emergency events
  • Ensure torches are readily accessible with batteries
  • Have access to a phone that doesn't need electricity, such as a mobile phone or phone with a cord
  • Have your mobile phone charged and where possible, activate the internet
  • Keep a battery-powered radio for updates on weather conditions and power outages
  • Update your safety and maintenance plans
  • Business customers need to ensure mitigation plans are up to date and ready to be activated

What to do during an electricity power outage

  • In a life threatening situation, call 000
  • Check your neighbour's house to see if they have also lost power. If their power is on, check your meter box to see if your safety switch has been tripped. If you are not confident doing this yourself, please contact us or get help from a neighbour or friend
  • Keep clear of fallen powerlines. Fallen powerlines should always be treated as live and dangerous so contact us
  • If you know any neighbours who are elderly or sick, check to see if they need help
  • After ensuring all lights andappliances are switched off, leave one light switched on so you know when the power comes back

Keep handy the key contacts for Jemena

Food safety tips

  • Only open fridge and freezer when absolutely necessary as this will keep food colder for longer
  • If possible, use bagged ice to keep food cold or frozen
  • For more information on food safety, visit the Department of Health or call 1300 364 352

Households with life support equipment

If you have not already done so, please ensure your retailer (the company that sends your electricity bill) is aware that you are a critical care customer and ensure appropriate applications are completed.

Private overhead powerlines

Summer awareness

Jemena conducts important bushfire mitigation and vegetation management work to reduce the risks of bushfires and to minimise electricity supply interruption caused by trees touching powerlines. There are more than 1,100 customers that own a private overhead electric line in Jemena's network area. These are usually low voltage electric lines supported on poles owned by the customer that run between the powerlines on public roadways to private properties or in some cases to different premises on the one property, such as a house and a shed.

To help better protect our community during summer, you need to be aware of your obligations and understand Jemena's responsibility.

What you need to know

  • Jemena owns the electricity poles and wires on public roadways and is responsible for inspecting these every 3-4 years depending on the location
  • Jemena is responsible for inspecting private overhead electric line's every three years. If a private line requires maintenance, vegetation clearing or undergrounding, Jemena will advise the customer
  • Occupiers of land supplied by a private overhead electric line are responsible for ensuring their electric lines meet compulsory safety standards, regulated by Energy Safe Victoria.
  • Failure to ensure your private overhead electric line meets regulatory standards could result in your premises being issued with a defect notice and power supply disconnected
  • Find out more about private overhead electric lines call 1300 131 871

What you need to do

  • In accordance with safety regulations, maintenance of a private overhead electric line situated inside private property is the responsibility of the occupier(s) of that land
  • If a private overhead electric line requires electrical repairs, a registered electrical contractor must be engaged to carry out the work
  • Jemena strongly recommends that you engage an REC or properly certified tree clearing professionals to clear a private overhead electric line of vegetation and ensure strict safety precautions are followed

Key contact details

  • In all life threatening situations, call 000
  • To report a power outage or a damaged/fallen powerline, call 131 626
  • To see if your private overhead electric line is in a hazardous bushfire risk area, please visit CFA website

Thank you for your support in helping to protect our community from bushfires this summer. JEN is proud to be working closely with Energy Safe Victoria to help communities reduce the risk of bushfires.

*To confirm if you are a Jemena customer, please refer to the top of your electricity bill (provided by your electricity retailer; the company that sells you your electricity). If your faults and emergency telephone number is 131 626, you are a Jemena customer.