Preparation Tips for a Power Outage

Before the day of the planned outage

• Save the date- Set a reminder for the planned outage date. Write it in your calendar, diary, or put a sticky-note on your fridge.
• Your security system may require special attention- Refer to your owner’s manual for more detail. You may also want to let your security authorities know that your system may be disrupted during this time.
• Life support- Always follow the plan you have discussed with your doctor first. To register new equipment or update your contact details, call us on 131 626. In a life-threatening situation, always call 000.
• Battery Backup- Install an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) to any required computers, internet modems, or charge your laptop battery.  
• In rural area, please make necessary arrangements -to secure all livestock, and If you have an electric water pump, it’s a good idea to store enough extra water to have during the interruption.
• Don’t be left in the dark- It’s always a good idea to have a back-up kit with torches with spare batteries, and or camping LED  lanterns pre charged, charged power packs for mobile phones, small portable radio with batteries, in the house.

On the morning of the planned power interruption

• Switch off appliances- Switch off motor driven appliance such as washing machines, dryers, ducted heaters, air conditioners, and appliances like televisions.
• Adjust your fridge to the coldest setting- Switch your fridge to the coldest setting about two hours before a planned outage. Cover your food, and try not to continuously open the fridge door. Remember to reset your fridge to the original settings when the power is back on. You may also want to add a couple of bags of ice to your freezer compartment.
• Open your gates and garage doors- Open your gates and garage doors if you think you might need to access shortly before the interruption, otherwise keep them locked. Garage doors usually have a manual override cord - check your manual for details.
• Consider moving your car out of your driveway, front yard or street if you have electric garage doors, electric gates or you live on a narrow street. Trucks may need to be parked on narrow streets or in front of driveways to safely complete work on poles and wires.
• Avoid parking in front of power poles which may cause delays to work being completed in a timely manner.
• Look out for each other- Look out for each other and check to see if there are any neighbours who may be elderly or ill and need some help.
• Leave a light on- After ensuring all lights and appliances are switched off, leave one light switched on so you know when your power has been restored.

Home Office tips -  what you could do to work around the planned interruption

• File Backups- create both online and offline backups for files. 
• Internet- Use a Wi-Fi hot-spot on your devices, or 3G/4G if you have a SIM.
• Phone Calls- forward your home/work number to your mobile phone.
• Mobile Phones- Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged.  
• Portable Phone Chargers- power banks for charging phones, laptops and other devices.
• Planning- move your calendar events around to not have deadlines due the day of the power interruption.
• Scheduling- pre-plan your work and/or school schedule for the day

Preparing your business for a planned power outage

Maintenance and upgrade works are critical for ensuring safe and reliable electricity supply to all of our customers. In order for us to safely perform work on the Electricity Distribution Network, there are occasions when the power supply will need to be temporarily turned off.

If this needs to occur, Jemena will provide written notice, at least 4 business days before the planned outage, to allow impacted customers to prepare and mobilise their contingency plan. 

Have a contingency plan 

Prepare a contingency plan to support your business functions through the duration of the power outages. Take reasonable precautions to minimise the risk of loss or damage arising from both planned and unplanned power outages, power surges and other electrical quality issues. Reasonable precautions required will vary depending on the nature and size of a business, its equipment, and how reliant it is on electricity. Generally, a business should consider the following reasonable precautions in preparing for power outages: 

• having appropriate insurance
• having a business continuity plan which includes “what to do during a power outage”
• implementing mitigation strategies to limit the amount of damage or loss 
• having surge protection devices installed 
• having phase failure relay devices installed 
• regular back-ups of computer systems 
• uninterruptible power supply installed, and in some cases, the installation of a back-up generator may be appropriate.

The Electricity Distribution Code of Victoria further outlines Jemena’s responsibilities for notifying customers of planned outages and our obligation to provide reliable and safe electricity supply. 

Important Numbers

• General enquiries: 1300 131 871, 8am to 6pm weekdays
• Planned interruption enquiries: 1300 658 045, 24 hours a day
• Faults & emergencies: 131 626, 24 hours a day
• Interpreter service: 13 14 50

If you believe you have a life-threatening situation, please call 000