Covid-19

As an essential service provider, we are continuing to do what we can to support our customers within the Covid-19 environment.

Our full resources are available to sustain high electricity reliability while also minimising the impact of our works on customers.

As a result, we are ready to support our customers and communities in any relaxation of conditions and economic recovery.

More information on our response is provided here:

Protecting the health and safety of our people and communities

Financial relief for residential and small business customers

Guidance for visitors to our offices and depots

We’ve had some questions about why we’re continuing to conduct planned outages during lockdowns in Victoria.

We understand many of our customers are working or studying from home. In response, we’re reviewing outages and where we can, we’ll look at rescheduling work or minimising the size and length of the outages.

Planned maintenance is an essential part of how we manage our network. Planned outages allow our crews to safely maintain the electricity network so we can keep delivering reliable power to homes and businesses.

Since March last year, parts of Victoria have experienced more than 200 days of lockdowns. Cancelling or rescheduling work for such a long period would increase the risk of unplanned power outages for homes and businesses as well as potentially serious community safety concerns, particularly in relation to the annual bushfire season.

As an essential service provider, we must continue:

• addressing faults and urgent maintenance which can otherwise threaten the safety of customers
• providing electrical services supporting infrastructure and construction projects which are sustaining vital jobs and economic benefits at this time
• undertaking activities to sustain power quality and reliability for commercial and industrial customers
• delivering against under our bushfire management plan, including asset inspections and replacements and the rollout of Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiters (REFCLs) in high bushfire risk areas
• Cutting vegetation growing close to powerlines that can impact reliability and safety

As the hotter summer months are approaching, our work inspecting and maintaining our network is even more critical and highlights why we must continue with this work.

For those who may be impacted by planned outages, we have developed some tips in the fact sheet below on how to prepare for a planned power outage.

The Victorian Government has issued advice to customers about what they can do during a power outage if it impacts a person’s health or safety.

For further information, our contact centre remains fully operational:

• Powercor: 13 22 06 for general enquiries or 13 24 12 for service difficulties and faults
• CitiPower: 1300 301 101 for general enquiries or 13 12 80 for service difficulties and faults.

Our full resources are available to support our customers. Please be assured:

• Our field teams will be following social distancing practices as they work in your community and as a crew, have taken precautions so they can safely work together.
• CitiPower and Powercor branded uniforms and identity cards will be worn by any field representatives that need to conduct works on or near your property.
• Approved contractors that work on our networks will carry CitiPower and Powercor branded identity cards.
• Wherever possible, our meter technicians will call you first if they need to come to your property.
• You will see new calling cards left in letterboxes when we are working in your area
• Notifications of any necessary power outages will include details on how we are working to ensure the safety of our people and communities.
• We will keep you advised by follow up SMS about plans for the work in your area.

If we need to work on your property, please advise if anyone in your household is self-isolated due to Covid-19, so our crews can take appropriate precautions for their own safety.

If you are a customer who relies on electricity to provide vital health support, then please ensure your contact details are updated with our Customer team via info@citipower.com.au or info@powercor.com.au.

We keep records of anyone reliant on life support systems to ensure we do not physically disconnect their power supply. We will also let them know of any necessary planned outages so they can be prepared with a back-up plan.

We are supporting homes and small businesses impacted financially by COVID-19 by providing relief from network charges on their electricity bills.

There are two types of charges on your electricity bill.

• A supply charge is a fixed daily cost for bringing electricity to your home or business. This includes our costs for operating and maintaining the poles and wires and meters that make up the electricity distribution network.
• A consumption charge which is measured in kilowatt hours and varies depending on how much electricity you use and what tariff you are on, like off-peak, peak or fixed.

Because distribution networks like us manage your electricity meter, we provide the energy retailers (the company who sends your electricity bill) with the data on your consumption for billing purposes.

Please also be assured we are continuing to support retailers to not disconnect customers and prioritise the health and safety of customers.

Due to the Federal Government’s restrictions around public gatherings and when people should leave their homes, we have closed all receptions and front counters across our depots until further notice.

We are still open for business and customers can get in touch with us via our Contact Centre at the numbers below or via email.

• Powercor: 13 22 06 for general enquiries or 13 24 12 for service difficulties and faults
• CitiPower: 1300 301 101 for general enquiries or 13 12 80 for service difficulties and faults.

If you need to visit anyone at our offices, please contact them by phone to meet you outside reception. Please ensure appropriate social distancing measures are used throughout your meeting.