Power cut – what should I do?
Our goal is to provide customers with high-quality and safe electricity every day of the year. However, strong winds, thunderstorms, or excavation work can cause unplanned power cuts for our customers. While most outages are caused by external factors, internal network faults, such as a neutral fault, can also cause disruptions in electricity distribution.
How to prepare for power cuts
Find out how your electrical appliances work during and after a power cut.
You can follow power cuts on our outage map
Save our fault service number: (02) 633 1161
Activate the disturbance message service by contacting our customer service
Keep a flashlight, spare batteries, candles, and matches at home
A battery-powered radio is useful, as local and regional radio stations provide updates on the development of wider power cut situations
Keep spare fuses available
Keep mobile phone batteries fully charged
If your home has a fireplace or wood-burning stove, make sure you have firewood available
If uninterrupted electricity supply is essential for you, consider getting a backup power system, such as a generator
Read more
Identifying a neutral fault (neutral wire fault)
A neutral fault occurs when the neutral conductor in an electrical system is broken. This can happen in the low-voltage line between a transformer and a property, which is maintained by the electricity distribution company, or within a building’s own electrical installations.
A neutral fault should be taken very seriously, as it can damage electrical appliances and even pose a life-threatening risk.
Causes and consequences of a neutral fault
In the power grid, a neutral fault typically occurs when a tree falls onto an overhead cable and breaks the uninsulated support wire, which also functions as the neutral conductor.
It can also occur in underground cable networks, for example due to poor contact in a cable joint.
As a result of a neutral fault, the voltages between the three phases become abnormal. One or two phases may experience overvoltage, while others may have undervoltage. In such situations, voltage can vary between 0–400 volts, which puts especially electronic devices at risk of damage. A neutral fault can also create a serious risk of electric shock.
Signs of a neutral fault
- Lights in the property are unusually bright or very dim, and brightness may fluctuate when appliances are switched on or off
- Electrical devices behave strangely, and lamps may fail
- You may receive an electric shock from a metal-cased device
- You may hear crackling or popping sounds from the electrical panel, and possibly smell burning
If you suspect a neutral fault
Turn off the electricity at the main switch. Be careful—use protective gloves if possible, avoid touching the metal enclosure of the electrical panel, and do not touch other metal structures such as sinks or water taps, as they may be live.
Contact the fault service immediately at (02) 633 1161. The service is available 24/7.
Fault service number available 24/7!
Fault service by phone
The number is available 24/7. It includes an automatic outage announcement providing information about the affected areas and the estimated duration of current disruptions. If you know the cause of the power cut or the exact fault location, you can follow the service instructions to get connected to our on-call personnel.