In a world reliant on accessible energy, power outages can have an impact on how we communicate, heat or cool our homes and even eat. Although they’re rare, with increasing pressure on energy supplies and more extreme weather events, it makes sense for every householder to be aware of what to do when the lights go out.

Lights Out

Before battening down the hatches and pulling out your power cut supplies (see below), check the extent of your power failure. If it’s dark, a glimpse outside should tell you whether the problem is limited to your home or there’s a more widespread power cut. If you don’t have neighbourhood lights to give you a clue, check lights and sockets in other rooms and take a look at your fuse box in case a switch has tripped.

If it’s safe to do so, have a quick look in your neighbourhood for any obvious causes of the power outage, for example, fallen trees on overhead cables or wires down. Make a note of the location of any problems, but keep well away from damaged cables. This is a job for a professional electrician. Use a mobile phone or a traditional phone handset to call Ausgrid’s emergency number on 13 13 88 to report the power cut and share any information about damage. Often Ausgrid will be aware of the problem, and there may be a pre-recorded message estimating reconnection times.

The Waiting Game

If your power is likely to be off for a long time, disconnect as many appliances as possible, especially sensitive items such as TVs and computer equipment, as there’s a danger of a power surge once you are reconnected. Leave one light on so you can tell when the power does return.

Make a note of when the power outage began so you know how long fridges and freezers have been without cooling power. Limit how often you open fridges and freezers to keep the contents cool. Use a windup or battery operated radio to keep up-to-date and check on any vulnerable neighbours who might need assistance.

Power Outage Kit

If you live in an area where power cuts are not unusual, it’s worth keeping a stash of items to hand in a basket or cupboard for when the power fails. Essential items to include are:

• a telephone handset that takes its power from the phone lines, if your usual handset is cordless


• candles or tea-lights and matches


• a wind-up or battery-powered radio and torch


• a camping stove, storm kettle or billycan


• bottled water, if you have a pumped water supply

If you have a generator, never use it to power your home’s central switchboard. This can pose difficulties for power engineers when they reconnect the grid.