Bushfire Season Power Outages in Canberra and Queanbeyan: How to Prepare

To prepare for a power outage in bushfire season, have a written plan, the right phone numbers, a battery radio and torch, charged phones, and a way to keep food and medicines cool. In the ACT, report outages to Evoenergy on 13 10 93. Around Queanbeyan, call Essential Energy on 13 20 80. If you want power during an outage, the safe options are a home battery designed and wired for backup, or a generator connected through a changeover switch installed by a licensed electrician. Never plug a generator into a power point or the switchboard.

The ACT’s bushfire season officially starts on 1 October (ACT ESA) and runs through the summer. Evoenergy notes that storms, high winds and bushfires can damage the network, and that it can take time after extreme weather to assess the damage and reach equipment safely. This guide covers what to do before and during an outage, what solar and batteries can and cannot do, and how to use a generator without putting anyone at risk. For how we design and install batteries, see our solar and batteries page.

How do I prepare for a power outage in bushfire season?

Start with the ACT ESA Survival Plan. ESA says it takes about 20 minutes to complete, and it walks your household through when you would leave, how you will get warnings and what you will take. Leaving early is the safest option in a bushfire. A plan that assumes the power and the internet might be out is much more useful than one that does not.

Then put together the basics. Evoenergy’s outage tips suggest:

• A battery-powered torch and radio, with spare batteries
• Mobile phones kept charged, plus a power bank or a car charger
• A plan for somewhere to go in a long outage, such as family, friends or a public space

Install the NSW Rural Fire Service Fires Near Me app, which ESA recommends for ACT residents too, and keep the key numbers somewhere that does not depend on your phone.

If anyone in your home relies on life support equipment, register it with your electricity retailer or, in the ACT, directly with Evoenergy. Evoenergy gives registered customers at least four business days written notice of planned outages and recommends a backup plan for unplanned ones.

Who do I call during a power outage?

Check whether the outage is already known before you call:

• ACT: Evoenergy’s outage map, then 13 10 93 for electricity faults and emergencies
• Queanbeyan and surrounds: Essential Energy’s outage information, then 13 20 80
• Storm or flood help in the ACT: ACT SES on 132 500
• Life-threatening emergency: 000

If your neighbours have power and you do not, check your switchboard for a tripped safety switch or breaker first. Evoenergy also sends SMS alerts about planned outages to the primary account holder, so keep your details up to date with your retailer.

Does the power get turned off on high fire danger days?

We could not find a published program in the ACT or the Queanbeyan region where the network switches the power off ahead of high fire danger days, as happens in some other countries. Planned maintenance outages come with a letter and an SMS in advance. During a fire, outages usually come from fire damage to poles and lines, and crews can only restore power once the area is safe to enter. Plan as if a long, unplanned outage could happen at any time over summer.

Will my solar panels work during a blackout?

Not by themselves. Evoenergy’s solar safety page explains that a grid-connected solar system cuts out automatically during an outage. This is called anti-islanding, and it stops your panels sending power into lines that crews are working on. It happens whether the sun is shining or not.

Even when the inverter is off, the panels still produce voltage in daylight. Treat the system as live, and if it is damaged or wet, keep away from it and call a licensed electrician or your installer.

Can a home battery keep my power on?

It can, if it is set up for it. Evoenergy says a battery may be able to supply part or all of your home during an outage, but to do it safely it must first disconnect from the network. These systems are generally not an uninterruptible power supply, so expect a short break while the battery switches over. Not every battery can do this, so ask before you buy.

What a backup battery can do:

• Keep essential circuits running, typically lights, the fridge, internet and a few power points
• Recharge from your solar panels during the day, but only if the inverter is designed to do that during an outage (ask, because not all are)
• Run a whole house, if the system is designed for whole-of-home backup, although the battery drains faster

What it cannot do:

• Run everything for days. Ducted heating and cooling, ovens and pumps drain a battery quickly.
• Keep running if it was installed without a backup gateway or changeover device
• Replace a plan to leave early when a fire is coming

Backup usually means moving some circuits onto a separate section of the switchboard, so the switchboard needs room for it. Solar Victoria’s power outages guide notes that backup systems are typically set up to power things such as lights and the fridge rather than the whole house. Our solar and batteries team can tell you which circuits make sense to back up in your home.

Is it safe to use a generator during a power outage?

Yes, if you use it the right way. The rule that matters most: never try to power the house by plugging a generator into a wall socket or connecting it to the switchboard. Energy Safe Victoria warns that this can back-feed electricity into the network and put utility workers and neighbours at risk. Essential Energy says back-feed can fatally injure people in neighbouring homes or the crews restoring your supply.

There are two safe ways to use one:

1. Plug appliances straight into the generator with heavy-duty extension leads in good condition, rated at least equal to the load.
2. Have a licensed electrician install a changeover switch or generator inlet. This isolates your home from the grid before the generator connects, so power can only come from one source at a time. In the ACT, connecting a generator to your house wiring is electrical work, and it must be done by a licensed electrician.

Other safety points from Energy Safe Victoria and Essential Energy:

• Run the generator outdoors only, in a well-ventilated spot away from windows and doors. Generators produce carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell.
• Turn it off and let it cool before refuelling, and store fuel away from ignition sources.
• Keep the total load below the generator’s rating. Appliances with motors can draw three to four times their running rating as they start.

What should I do during and after an outage?

A short checklist for the outage itself:

• Unplug electronics and switch off heating and cooking appliances, so nothing starts up unattended when the power returns.
• Keep the fridge and freezer closed. Evoenergy says unopened food keeps cold for about 4 hours in the fridge and about 48 hours in the freezer.
• In summer, close curtains and windows to hold the cool air in.
• Stay at least 10 metres from fallen or low powerlines, and treat them as live.
• If a fire threatens your home, Evoenergy advises turning off the main power switch in the meter box, if it is safe to do so.

If your property has been damaged by fire, Evoenergy says a qualified electrician should check the home and appliances before the power is restored. Our emergency electrical page covers how we handle that work.

We work during business hours, including around Queanbeyan, and will tell you honestly how soon we can get there. If something is dangerous outside business hours, switch off at the main switch if it is safe to do so and call Evoenergy on 13 10 93 in the ACT, or Essential Energy on 13 20 80 around Queanbeyan.