Preparing for a planned outage
Planned outages help us maintain the network safely and reliably. Here’s what to expect and how to prepare.
We regularly maintain and upgrade our equipment to ensure the network remains safe and reliable. At times, this work requires us to temporarily interrupt your power supply so our crews can complete essential maintenance, connections, and upgrades safely.
How we notify you
If planned work affects your power supply, we’ll notify you at least 4 business days in advance. Your notification will include the date, time, and expected duration of the outage. You may receive:
- SMS notifications (if you are the primary account holder and have a valid mobile number registered)
- A planned outage letter (sent to registered life support customers and business customers)
We recommend registering your mobile number with your electricity retailer so we can send SMS reminders, updates, and cancellation notices.
Didn’t receive an SMS outage notification? Find out more about our SMS notifications.
How to prepare
See this checklist of simple precautions to prepare for a power outage.
Life support medical equipment
- Check that your life support equipment has sufficient battery charge for the duration of the power outage.
- Customers who rely on medical equipment should prepare an action plan for when power goes out. The action plan checklist can be used as a guide.
- Registering as a life support customer allows us to notify you in advance so you can plan ahead.
Devices and appliances
A few simple steps can help reduce disruption:
- Charge phones, laptops, and essential devices
- Keep your fridge and freezer closed to maintain temperature
- Prepare alternative lighting, such as torches
- Unplug sensitive appliances if needed
- Plan ahead for pets, children, or work‑from‑home needs
- If you rely on medical equipment, follow your life support action plan
Property security
- Make sure your alarms and security devices can operate correctly without mains power and notify your security company of the interruption.
- If you have electric garage doors or property gates, make sure your vehicle will be accessible. Check with your company about instructions for manual override.
Local access and traffic management
During planned power outages, road access and traffic conditions in affected areas may be temporarily impacted. Our crews work closely with local authorities to coordinate traffic management and ensure public safety during essential works. This includes setting up appropriate traffic controls where necessary and, wherever possible, providing alternative access routes to minimise disruption.
Minimise food spoilage
Avoid opening the fridge or freezer door:
- Freezers usually do not defrost and allow food to spoil for at least 24 hours, provided the door is kept shut.
- If power is out for more than 4 hours, the NSW Food Authority advises that food in fridges can spoil.
- Note the time you lost power so you can determine whether the food in your fridge is safe to eat.
Frequently asked questions
Weather, network incidents, or staffing changes may require us to cancel an outage at short notice. If this happens, the outage will be rescheduled with at least four business days’ notice, and we’ll send a reminder the day before.
Planned outages include time for safety checks before work begins and before power is restored. Individual customers may have their power turned on or off at different times within the scheduled window.
Sometimes work finishes earlier than expected, and power may be restored sooner. In other cases, unforeseen circumstances may extend the outage. We always aim to keep interruptions within the advised window.
Scheduling must consider:
- Road Occupancy Licence (ROL) restrictions
- Impacts on schools, medical centres, and businesses
- Community impacts
- Safety constraints (e.g., high‑pedestrian areas)
- Property access restrictions
- Reducing outage size by avoiding peak electrical load
- Requirements from other parties during major projects
- Most outages occur during the day for safety and cost reasons, but some must occur overnight or on weekends due to external constraints.
The NSW Food Authority advises that food in fridges can spoil after more than 4 hours without power. Keep the fridge door closed as much as possible. Freezers typically stay cold for up to 24 hours if unopened.
Planned outages are permitted under the Deemed Standard Connection Contract (Section 10). Because we provide 4–7 days’ notice, compensation is not available for planned interruptions. Learn more in our Claims Help Section.
Yes. You can register with your retailer or directly with Ausgrid. If you rely on life support equipment, please register and prepare an action plan for outages.
Learn more about life support registration.
No. Ausgrid does not provide or reimburse generators for planned outages. See our portable generator safety page if you plan to use your own generator.
Your NBN/internet service requires power and may not operate unless it has battery backup. Mobile coverage may also be affected during large outages. Contact your equipment or service provider for advice.
Further information
- Check the power outage map for the latest updates and upcoming planned outages.
- Learn more about Ausgrid SMS notifications.