Planned outage FAQs

Our crews will be carrying out important work on the electricity network. This may include maintenance, upgrades, or replacing equipment that’s nearing the end of its life or needs to be tested. 

To keep everyone safe, the power must be switched off while crews are working close to, or directly on, live equipment. Turning the power off allows the team to complete the job safely.

This work helps keep your local power supply safer and more reliable now and in the future. Upgraded equipment and regular maintenance reduce the chance of faults, strengthen supply during bad weather, and support the growing needs of your community.

The length of the outage depends on how complex the job is and what steps crews need to take to work safely. Some tasks are straightforward, while others require more time to complete carefully. 

We also try to choose days and times that minimise disruption wherever possible — for example, avoiding school days in school areas, or scheduling work outside busy periods for local businesses. Weather and safety requirements can also influence when the work can take place.

Not always. If the job goes smoothly, crews may be able to restore power earlier than planned. If the full timeframe is needed, your power will remain off for the entire scheduled window. We’ll always turn it back on as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Notifications are sent to the account holder using the contact details held by your electricity retailer. If these details are out of date, or if you’re not the account holder, you may not receive the message. 

We’re improving our systems so more customers receive updates by SMS, email, and through our Outage Centre. If you think you missed a notification, please check your contact details with your electricity retailer.