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Key Points
- Help for customers who need a continuous supply of power for their life support equipment.
- EnergyAustralia has paused billing and associated activities for customers who live in postcodes impacted by the flooding in parts of NSW.
- EnergyAustralia continues to work around the clock to make good supply homes and businesses.
Statement attributed to Mark Brownfield, Chief Customer Officer at EnergyAustralia:
“Some communities in NSW are facing a loss of power because of the flooding. We urge customers who need a continuous supply of power for their life support equipment to have their back-up plans ready to go if the power in their area does go off.
“Guidance can be found on our website and if customers want to speak to someone directly, they can call our EnergyAssist team on 1800 120 084."
Guidance for NSW customers
- You can tell us about your life support needs by calling us on 133 466 or you can register with My Account so that we can include your life support status on your account.
- You can find the name of your distributor and their emergency contact number on the top right hand corner of your bill. Here is a list of EnergyAustralia’s gas and electricity distributors and their contact numbers.
- There’s more help on the Ausgrid website – ‘Preparing for a power outage’: Preparing for a power outage - Ausgrid or visit Life support | EnergyAustralia
- “Right now our job as a generator and a retailer is to keep pumping power into the system to support our 2.4 million customer accounts and to help anyone, residential or small business, who may be doing it tough.
“We’ve automatically suspended issuing energy bills and paused collection activities in areas that have been evacuated by the NSW State Emergency Service.
“We are sending customers an SMS to let them know if their energy bill has been put on hold. We will give them the choice to recommence billing if they prefer.
“Right now our job as a generator and a retailer is to keep pumping power into the system to support our 2.4 million customer accounts and to help anyone, residential or small business, who may be doing it tough."
Supply update
“EnergyAustralia’s power station teams are working around the clock to make sure there is good supply into the system.
“There are currently three units online at Yallourn power station in Victoria.
“One of the online Yallourn units is expected to come offline tomorrow for routine maintenance, while another unit remains offline. Our Yallourn maintenance and operations team will be working as hard as possible to return the units to service as soon as possible.
“Mt Piper power station in New South Wales has both units in operation and continues to supply over 10 per cent of the state’s daily maximum electricity demand.
“EnergyAustralia’s gas assets have been running seven times the volume compared with the same period last year, playing an important role of keeping the lights on for customers.
“We continue to work with the Australian Energy Market Operator on the availability of our generating assets across Australia."
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Supporting customers
EnergyAustralia’s EnergyAssist program means the power won’t be disconnected and debt collection activities won’t be initiated. Residential customers on the program also have access to tailored payment plans, energy audits, information on grant programs and advice on energy usage.
Through Rapid Business Assist, specialist advisors can discuss ways for EnergyAustralia’s small and medium-sized business customers to lower energy consumption, the government energy relief subsidies available, and options for tailored payment schedule.
Payment assistance
- Eligible South Australians on low or fixed incomes can apply for help with the cost of energy bills for their principal place of residence. If you receive the energy concession, you could also be eligible for the SA Concessions Energy Discount Offer.
- The Victorian Government is giving a once-off $250 payment for all Victorian households that use the Victorian Energy Compare website, found at https://compare.energy.vic.gov.au/psb-faq
- Queenslanders will receive a $175 Cost of Living Rebate on their next power bill. Electricity providers will automatically apply the credit, so Queenslanders don’t have to apply.
- NSW residents are eligible for Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) $50 vouchers. See Apply for Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) vouchers for more information.
EnergyAustralia recent energy announcements:
- investment in a 350MW, 4-hour battery at Wooreen;
- construction of Australia’s first hydrogen/gas peaking power station, Tallawarra B, with over 300MW capacity; all greenhouse gas emissions to be fully offset over its operational life;
- introduction of Solar Home Bundle in NSW where EnergyAustralia arranges the selection and installation of a solar and battery system at their home, with no upfront cost. After seven years, the customer owns the system outright;
- our storage services agreement for the 250MW Kidston pumped storage hydro project in Queensland; and
- underpinning the Darlington Point and Riverina batteries for a combined 90MW in NSW.
Maintenance on one of the units at Yallourn power station in Victoria