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Horizon Power is committed to providing a reliable energy supply. Power outages and disruptions to electricity supply do however occur. Sometimes these are the results of nature, such as extreme weather, but at other times, power is interrupted so that the system can be upgraded to improve reliability.

You can assist by alerting Horizon Power to hazardous situations which could impact on power supply, such as trees near power lines. There are also steps that you can take to minimise the inconvenience of power disruptions.

What can I do about trees near power lines?

Keep an eye on trees near power lines.

Trees hitting power lines are a common cause of power outages, especially during storms. Please report any problems, preferably before storms occur, by calling 13 23 51.

Further information on managing overgrown trees and other vegetation is available.

Trimming or cutting trees near power lines is dangerous. It can kill you. Get a professional to do it.

Information to provide when calling 13 23 51

In order for us to send a crew to fix the problem we need to know exactly where it is. Naturally, you can simply provide us with your address, but quoting your account number or meter number may get your power restored even faster. Both can be found on your lastest Horizon Power bill.

In the country, it may be helpful to provide additional information such as:

• the pole number of your transformer (if you have one); and
• the pole number of other poles on your property.

How can I prepare for a power outage?

Things to consider so you are prepared for a power failure.

• Can you boil water using the gas burner on an outside barbeque?
• Do you have a battery-powered or wind-up alarm clock?
• Do you have a battery-powered radio? (It can be helpful to listen in for restoration updates.)
• Do you have a telephone that will work during a power outage? Many modern phones require mains electrical power. The “standard” phones don’t. Ensure that you have a standard phone available.
• Do you have a hand-operated can opener?
• How will you deal with the special needs of infants; e.g. preparing bottles? (Can you heat the bottles in boiling water on a gas burner?)
• What lighting will you use; e.g. battery-powered torches?
• What non-perishable foods do you have that don’t need to be heated?

Actions to take during an extended outage in summer.

• Close all blinds or curtains on the sunny side of the house.
• During the warmer, daytime hours go to air-conditioned shopping centres, libraries, movie theatres or any public place that is air-conditioned.
• If a family member appears overheated, use cool compresses to cool their skin. Contact your GP if you have any health-related questions.
• Keep the fridge closed as much as possible to extend food life.
• Remember to drink plenty of fluids.
• Remember to check on elderly or special-need neighbours, who may be susceptible to the effects of heat stress.

Actions to take during an extended outage in winter.

• Gather in a central room where you have alternative heating.
• During the day, open blinds or curtains to let the sun warm the building.
• If candles and heaters are used, never leave them unattended. Watch children and pets that could knock them over.
  CAUTION: Candles can start fires. Be very careful.
• Contact your GP if you have any health-related questions.

What should I do if I have special needs such as life-support equipment?

Horizon Power recognises the inconvenience that extended power outages can have on special-needs customers, such as those who rely on life-support equipment, and suggests that customers with special needs (or their caregivers) make arrangements ahead of time to prepare for potentially long-lasting service interruptions.

Take the time now to consider actions like these:

1. Contact us in writing to register as a medical-support customer. You will need a letter from a hospital or medical practitioner advising us of your special equipment requirements. For example: dialysis, life-support or heart-lung equipment that requires mains electrical power. Requests can be sent to Horizon Power, PO Box 79, Cloverdale WA 6985.
2. Identify a location with emergency power capabilities and make plans to go there.
3. Identify relatives and friends who you can stay with in the event of a power outage.
4. Consider purchasing a portable generator. Generators can provide back-up power, but they are expensive, bulky and can be a safety hazard if installed or used incorrectly. So it’s a good idea to research information on generators and consult a licensed electrician before making a decision.

Customers who experience medical distress due to a power outage should seek medical assistance.

What should I do if my power does go off?

If you experience a sudden loss of power at your premise, here is what you should do:

• Check your meter box to see if your main switch has been turned off or if any fuses/circuit breakers have blown or tripped.
  
  The loss of power may be from something simple like a blown fuse. For your safety, please do not touch any switch or fuse that has burnt areas. Instead, contact a licensed electrician.
  
  If your meter box does not indicate a fault, check with your neighbours to see if they have also lost power.
  
  If they are also without power, turn off all electrical appliances and equipment except for one light (not fluorescent). This will enable you to know when power is restored.
• If your neighbour has already contacted Horizon Power, there is NO need for you to also call to log the fault. However - if you wish to get an update on the expected restoration time, please call 13 23 51 and listen to the recorded message. You will be automatically connected to the outage information for the suburb you are calling from. If you a calling from a mobile phone you will be provided with the outage information for all suburbs.
• If your neighbours still have their power and your fuses and safety switches are OK, then you should call our fault line on 13 23 51. Please see Information to provide when calling 13 23 51
• For easy reference make a note of your Horizon Power account number. You will find this number on your Horizon Power account.
• Large industrial or commercial customers should check the appropriate circuit breaker, recloser or fuses. Ideally your company’s licensed electrician would provide details to Horizon Power.

What should I do if I see a 'live' wire?

Horizon Power cares about your safety. If you see a fallen wire, assume it is dangerous and keep away. A wire does not have to be sparking to be dangerous.

Please call 13 23 51 to report a fallen wire or other hazards.

How does Horizon Power decide in which order customers have their power restored?

If large areas are affected by a power outage, Horizon Power follows these steps to decide which areas have power restored first.

1. Naturally, our first priority is to address any situations that threaten public safety. For example, dealing with fallen power lines and restoring power to priority locations such as hospitals.
2. Next we deal with generation and transmission lines supplying thousands of customers.
3. Then we deal with substation sites, distribution lines, spurs and “T-Off” lines supplying a large number of customers.
4. Finally, we address problems experienced by individual customers.

In this way, as many people as possible have power restored at the earliest opportunity.

Sometimes a crew may have to leave your area before power is restored. This may be because the cause of the outage is elsewhere or because a public-safety hazard has been identified in the surrounding area.