What to do if you experience a blackout this summer

Whether you like to keep up to date with the news through your phone or TV, it's hard to miss coverage of the number of bushfires burning around Australia. 

But as firefighters work hard to keep the flames under control, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has warned that many states across the country could face potential blackouts due to the erratic bushfires and high temperatures straining the energy grid. 

Victoria in particular has the highest chance of disconnection due to a faulty coal plant in the Latrobe Valley and gas plant in the west. 

“The biggest risk occurs with very high demand ... usually that is at the end of a run of two or more extremely hot days,” said Australian Energy Council Chief Executive, Sarah McNamara. 

"Losing power even for short periods during a heatwave can cause real inconvenience. But electricity providers will continue to do everything possible to avoid that occurring."

But despite the obvious pain of having to deal with no power during a heatwave, would you know what to do to safeguard your home and belongings?

With this summer set to be a scorcher and the chance of being disconnected a real possibility, we’ve listed some of our top tips for surviving a blackout:

• Check on your neighbours - If you’ve got elderly neighbours or neighbours with young children, do your bit to make sure they’re coping with the extreme heat by checking in. 
• Keep your fridge closed - Keep your frozen and fresh food from being spoiled by keeping the fridge closed during the blackout at all times. 
• And bin food that's gone off - But once the power comes back on, raid your fridge and throw out any food you believe that’s gone off. When it comes to things like raw chicken or milk, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. 
• Switch off appliances at the wall - To prevent damage from a potential power surge, switch off and unplug all your appliances and devices at the wall. 
• But keep one light switched on - Just remember to keep one light switched on so you know when the power has come back on. 

And if you’d like tips on how to keep your energy bill low through summer, head on over to our energy tips section, which is filled with handy tips for every household.

If you're ready to switch to a new energy plan, head over to our energy hub to find everything you need to know, or make use of our handy comparison tool below.