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Life support customers

We're committed to the safety and wellbeing of our people, customers and the community.

Who can register?

Anyone who relies on the following equipment can register as a life support customer:

  • oxygen concentrator
  • intermittent peritoneal dialysis machine
  • kidney dialysis machine
  • chronic positive airways pressure respirator
  • Crigler-Najjar syndrome phototherapy equipment
  • ventilator for life support
  • external heart pumps
  • respirators (iron lung)
  • suction pumps (respiratory or gastric)
  • feeding pumps (kangaroo pump or total parenteral nutrition)
  • insulin pumps
  • airbed vibrator
  • hot water
  • nebulizer, humidifiers or vaporizers
  • apnoea monitors
  • medically required heating and air conditioning
  • medically required refrigeration
  • powered wheelchair
  • any other equipment that a registered medical practitioner certifies as required for your health.

This list is set out in Schedule 7 of the Energy Retail Code of Practice.


Close up photo of a heart rate monitor

How do I register?

If you have life support equipment on your premises, you can register by calling:

  • your electricity or gas retailer - the company you receive your power or gas bills from, or
  • our life support priority line on 1800 818 832 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

Why should I register?


What we'll do for you

When you register as having life support equipment, you're entitled to enhanced customer protections including additional support before and during a power or gas outage. This doesn't mean your power won't go off, but we're here to help you prepare.

Please make sure your electricity or gas retailer (the company you get your power or gas bills from) has your correct mobile number. They'll pass it onto us so we can send you SMS alerts.

We'll send registered life support customers:

  • a letter at least 4 business days before a planned outage
  • an SMS reminder of an upcoming planned outage
  • an SMS if a planned outage is cancelled
  • SMS updates during unplanned outages caused by severe weather, falling trees or digging near underground powerlines.

Customers registered as having life support equipment can call our priority line (1800 818 832) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


Other benefits

Customers with life support equipment may also be entitled to the following government concessions or rebates:

  • Annual Electricity Concession
  • Excess Energy Concession
  • Controlled Load Concession
  • Medical Cooling Concession
  • Service to Property Concession
  • Life Support Concession
  • Winter Gas Concession
  • Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS)

For more information, visit the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing website.


Things you can do to prepare

We know there's never a good time to be without power, especially for our life support customers. We understand that many of our life support customers have changing needs and may be concerned about losing power or gas. We regularly review our planned works schedule and provide as much notice as possible before an outage.

If you don’t currently have an outage plan, you can visit the Power Outage Plan website. The site contains helpful tips, advice and information specifically for life support customers and also provides a step-by-step instruction guide on how to develop a Power Outage Plan including a handy downloadable template.

Here are some things you can do to prepare for an outage:

  • Check the back-up battery of your life support equipment is fully charged and ready to use.
  • If you have reserve oxygen cylinders, make sure they are filled and working.
  • Make sure your medical supplies are fully stocked.
  • Make sure your phone is fully charged and consider purchasing a power bank as a back-up source. Make sure these are charged and ready to use.
  • Talk to your medical practitioner about your emergency plan.
  • Keep up to date on restoration times with our Outage Tracker.
  • If you can, arrange to visit a friend, family member or hospital if the power goes out.
  • Ask a neighbour to check on you during an outage.
  • Keep all your important numbers handy - e.g. your doctor, the nearest hospital and emergency services, the local taxi, and our life support priority line (1800 818 832).
  • Follow us on Facebook for updates.
  • If your equipment uses gas, see Gas safety and maintenance.
  • If your equipment uses electricity, see Prepare for an electrical outage.

Read more about our commitment to life support customers on page 8 of our Customer Charter (PDF, 3.2 MB).


I need to update my details

If your circumstances or contact details change, please call us on 1800 818 832 so we can continue to prioritise your health and wellbeing.

You can also update your details with your electricity or gas retailer. They'll pass your new details onto us.