Power outage SMS Service

Ausgrid will send an SMS when:

a) An unplanned power outage has been detected, confirmed, or even predicted within our electricity network; AND

b) where we have been provided an accurate mobile phone record for the primary account holder by the electricity retailer.

There are situations where an unplanned power outage has occurred and an SMS has not been received. These situations include the following:

• It is within 15 minutes of the outage or there are significant outages across the network causing delays in the sending of the SMS. Depending on the number of outages in the network, delays in receiving an SMS can occur especially during large or significant outage events
• Another household member has received the SMS as the primary account holder
• The outage was part of a planned repair or construction works and a notification letter will have been provided prior (current planned outages can be searched for here)
• You are not on the Ausgrid network
• The cause of the power outage is related to a fault at your property, and not a electricity network issue
• There is an issue with your telecommunications provider and you are unable to receive the SMS due to an outage or poor reception
• An incorrect mobile number was recorded by your energy retailer

If you have not received an SMS, but have experienced a power outage. Check and report your outage on the power outage map.

Sometimes Ausgrid can restore power to a portion of the properties impacted in an outage before power can be restored to the whole area. In these cases, the SMS may be sent when power is restored to all affected properties. Check and report power outages in your area here.

Ausgrid’s systems may predict an outage at a property where neighbouring properties are experiencing a power outage.  Ausgrid is aware of this issue and no action is required.  

The primary account holder is the person in the household who signed up with the electricity retailer. Typically, in the case of joint billing, the primary account holder name will be listed first on the electricity account or bill.

If you are not the primary account holder and want to receive the SMS, you can sign up for outages in your postcode area (rather than your exact address). Register or Sign in to the Customer Preference Centre and select 'Contact Preferences'.

You can also check and report power outages on our website.

Yes, you can also receive SMS for planned outages by signing up or modifying your account in the Customer Preference Centre. (select  the 'Contact Preferences' option once logged in.)

Yes, you can sign up to receive email notifications as well or instead of an SMS through our Customer Preference Centre (select  the 'Contact Preferences' option once logged in.) To change your notification preferences, register or Sign in to the Customer Preference Centre and select 'Contact Preferences'. 

Yes, the SMS service is 24/7.  For those who do not want to be disturbed throughout the night there are several ways to adjust your phone settings such as switching your phone to silent, switching your phone to Do Not Disturb, or adjusting the sound/volume of your SMS notifications.

To unsubscribe from the SMS service please contact the Customer Service Team on 13 13 65.