Properties affected by bushfires that cannot reconnect electricity
Call our Bushfire Support Line on 1300 561 171. We can contact your electricity retailer to pause your energy bills or close your account until you’re ready to reconnect.
We may need to ask you about the property damage and when you might be ready to reconnect.
Properties affected by bushfires that cannot reconnect electricity
Call our Bushfire Support Line on 1300 561 171. We can contact your electricity retailer to pause your energy bills or close your account until you’re ready to reconnect.
We may need to ask you about the property damage and when you might be ready to reconnect.
How to get your power reconnected
If power has returned to your area but your property is still without electricity, your electrical installation may be damaged, unsafe or affected by fire.
Here are the steps to reconnect safely.
Hire a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC)
First, contact your insurance company because they may want you to use one of their recommended Registered Electrical Contractors (REC).
The REC will:
- Inspect your property for fire damage or safety issues.
- Complete any repairs.
- Give you a Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES) once repairs are done.
You’ll need to pay the REC for this work.
How will the REC know that my property is ready to reconnect?
When a REC is deciding the best way to reconnect power to your property after a fire, they consider a few things:
- Whether the main powerlines to your home (high or low voltage) have already been repaired.
- The point where the electricity network connects to your home - this could be a pole on your property, an underground pit on your boundary or an overhead service from the street.
- Whether the original electrical arrangement and connection point was compliant with today’s safety rules or if it needs to be changed – for example:
- If your home used to have overhead power, the electrician will check whether it can legally be reinstalled, or whether it now needs to be moved underground to comply with current safety requirements.
- If your home had underground supply, they’ll check whether the underground cable and pit were damaged by fire and need replacement.
- Depending on when your house was built and when the meter was installed, your meter position may need to be changed. Older houses (from the 1960s–1980s) often have meters in places that were allowed at the time but no longer meet today’s rules for safe access.
If the REC needs technical support
In some cases, the original electricity supply arrangement will not meet current Victorian Service & Installation Rules (VSIR) requirements. This is common where properties have:
- private overhead electrical lines or poles
- multiple occupancies or meters, or
- Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) pole.
If your REC needs to confirm the original point of supply or understand specific safety requirements, they can email our VSIR compliance team at VSIRcompliance@ausnetservices.com.au.
If the REC isn’t sure which reconnection request to raise
Ask them to call our Bushfire Support Line on 1300 561 171. We can provide advice on the how to raise the correct type of reconnection request.
The type of request may depend on if your:
- meter is safe to reconnect or needs to be replaced
- existing National Metering Identifier (NMI) can still be used (our team can check this for you).
Reconnect using your existing meter
If your existing meter and electrical arrangement can be safely reconnected after the REC completes their repairs, the REC must:
- email the Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES) to us at faultsinfoline@ausnetservices.com.au and
- call our Faults & Emergencies team on 13 17 99 to arrange reconnection.
If the existing meter can be used to reconnect, we will waive reconnection fees for bushfire‑affected customers.
Request a new meter connection or alteration
The REC may tell you that you need a:
- temporary builder’s supply
- new meter
- meter relocation
- replacement of an overhead service line.
The REC will submit an alteration application (even if you need to install a new meter).
To submit a new connection application or alteration request, the REC must:
- Submit the application through our Energy Connect portal (portal.ausnetservices.com.au).
- Include ‘Reconnection’ under the ‘Description of works’ section.
- Email Customer.Connect@ausnetservices.com.au with the ANSO reference number and subject line: Bushfire Reconnection – ANSO-XXXXXX
We will:
- fast-track validating the application
- prioritise your job
- waive or reduce our application fees - depending on the type of connection and works.
Request a different connection point
The REC may suggest a new underground pit or alternative connection point is required to re-establish supply to your property.
This may happen if you previously had:
- an overhead electricity supply
- a private overhead electrical line or private pole, or
- a point of supply that has been damaged.
The REC must email EnergyConnect@ausnetservices.com.au with the subject line: Bushfire Reconnection - <Property address>
We will assess your requirements with the REC to determine what work needs to be done to meet your needs. Any resulting works will be completed as priority.
Depending on the type of connection and works, we will waive or reduce our Application Fees.
Once the new connection point is built, the REC can submit the final meter connection request through our Energy Connect portal (portal.ausnetservices.com.au). See ‘Request a new meter connection or alteration’ steps above.