We’re proud of our achievements and actions to fulfil our purpose to connect communities with reliable, affordable and sustainable energy.
We’ve invested $12 million through our Energy Resilience Community Fund (ERCF), supporting almost 140 community resilience hubs and mobile energy assets since 2024.
In Longwood, a $24,521 grant helped Strathbogie Memorial Hall install a generator alongside its solar and battery system. During January’s bushfires, it operated independently of our network, providing drinking water, communications, device charging and a safe place for the community.
The hall also supported emergency crews coordinate response and recovery through the CFA’s Local Emergency Action Plan.
To learn more about ERCF projects, go to the Energy Resilience Community Fund Grant Recipients page.
Victorian communities are finding new ways to make the most of renewable energy and help shape a cleaner energy future.
In Beechworth, Indigo Power installed a community battery at the Old Beechworth Gaol, storing rooftop solar energy for peak periods and providing backup power during outages. Energy can also be traded on the wholesale market to help reduce electricity bills.
On Phillip Island, 60 Rhyll households joined a 12-month trial with Totally Renewable Phillip Island, shifting electric hot water heating to daytime hours when solar generation is high.
You can learn more about other exciting AusNet Projects and Innovations here.
When major bushfires swept through central and north-eastern Victoria in January 2026, communities needed information on power restoration, support with claiming the Prolonged Power Outage Payment (PPOP) and reconnecting to the network.
Our Community Support Team mobilised early, setting up at relief hubs across 22 locations in six local government areas using our Emergency Management Mobile Assistance (EMMA) vehicles.
EMMAs provide device charging, Wi-Fi and a place to speak with our team.
For more than three weeks, we worked with councils and community groups to keep people informed and connected. We also helped fire-affected properties get their power back on.
To reduce possum-related outages and protect local wildlife, we installed more than $1.8 million of animal-proofing equipment at 260 sites across Belgrave, Montrose, Warrandyte, Nilma and Upwey.
We installed:
We consulted with local communities and wildlife groups and continue to monitor the sites to measure improvements in reliability and wildlife protection.
Behind every reliable energy network is a skilled workforce ready to keep communities connected and support a cleaner energy future.
This February, we welcomed 10 distribution trainees, selected from nearly 2,000 applicants for the three-year program.
Trainees combine hands-on learning with field experience and will graduate with an Advanced Diploma of ESI Power Systems, creating a pathway to a career with AusNet.
Roles were offered across Bairnsdale, Beaconsfield, Leongatha, Sale, Seymour, Traralgon and Melbourne.
Another nine trainees will join in 2027, helping build critical skills and support Victoria’s energy transition.
If you’d like to be part of Victoria’s energy future, visit our careers page.
A strong community is built by people helping people, especially when times are tough.
This October, we celebrated five years of partnership with Foodbank Victoria, working together to get food to Victorians experiencing food insecurity.
Over the last five years, our employees volunteered 3,585 hours of their time, delivering 3,050,532 meals. we helped pack, sort and distribute food across the state – at Foodbank's Altona warehouse, the Farm to Families market days and Foodbank's Mobile Supermarket Bus, which brings food directly to communities in need.
To learn more about Foodbank’s work in the community, visit foodbank.org.au.