It’s 11pm, the lights flicker, and everything goes dark. No streetlights, no Wi-Fi, no idea when it’s coming back. If you’ve ever experienced a blackout in Sydney, you know the first few minutes can feel chaotic — especially if you’re responsible for a business, a strata building, or someone who relies on medical equipment.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on what to do when the power goes out — and how to get it back fast.
1. Check If It’s Just Your Property
Look out your window. Are your neighbours’ lights on? If the whole street is dark, it’s likely a grid outage managed by Ausgrid or Endeavour Energy. Check their live outage maps online (if you have mobile data) for estimated restoration times.
2. Check Your Switchboard
If it’s just your property, check your main switchboard. A tripped safety switch or circuit breaker is the most common cause of a single-property outage. If everything looks normal at the board but you still have no power, it may be a supply issue — contact your network provider.
3. Switch Off Major Appliances
Turn off air conditioners, pool pumps, electric ovens, and any heavy-draw appliances at the switchboard. This prevents a damaging power surge when mains electricity returns — and it makes the generator connection safer if you hire one.
4. Prioritise What Needs Power
If you’re going to hire a generator, think about what you actually need to keep running: fridges and freezers (especially if you have stock), medical equipment, security systems, fire panels, lifts, and internet. This helps us size the right generator for you.
5. Call for Emergency Generator Hire
If the outage is going to last more than a couple of hours — or if you can’t afford any downtime — call us on 0430 880 958. We dispatch generators 24/7 and our licensed electricians handle the entire connection. You don’t need to organise a separate sparky.
6. Prepare for the Generator’s Arrival
Clear access to your switchboard and prepare a flat, hard surface near the board for the generator (driveway, loading dock, or concrete pad). If you already have a changeover switch installed, tell us when you call — it speeds up the connection significantly.
Sydney Outage Resources
Bookmark these for future reference:
- Ausgrid Outage Map: ausgrid.com.au/outages
- Endeavour Energy Outage Map: endeavourenergy.com.au/outages
- Emergency Generator Hire: 0430 880 958 (Coastal Generator Hire, 24/7)