If you or someone at your home uses life support equipment, it's important that you let us or your electricity retailer know and keep us up to date with your situation.

Who can be a life support customer

If you or someone at your home relies on any of the following equipment you are an eligible life support customer:

  • an oxygen concentrator
  • an intermittent peritoneal dialysis machine
  • a kidney dialysis machine
  • a chronic positive airways pressure respirator
  • Crigler-Najjar syndrome phototherapy equipment
  • a ventilator for life support or
  • any other equipment that a registered medical practitioner certifies as required for life support.

If this applies to you, or a member of your household, please make sure you register your details with us or your retailer.

We will put your details on the Life Support Customer Register immediately.

How to register

Step 1. Register your life support equipment with us by calling 1800 245 092 or by calling your electricity retailer.

Step 2. Download the Life Support Application and Renewal form to complete with your doctor. A registered medical practitioner must complete sections 5 and 6 of the form.

Step 3. Send the completed Life Support Application and renewal form either by:

Download the Life Support Application and renewal form

Supply interruptions

There are times when we may need to interrupt power and water supplies for our crews to safely carry out essential upgrades or planned maintenance on the networks.

Registered life support customers will be notified five business days prior to any planned service interruptions to give you time to make alternative arrangements for your life support needs. Unfortunately unplanned service interruptions can occur at any time due to bad weather, wildlife or unexpected events.

Being a registered life support customer does not mean you are guaranteed an uninterrupted power or water supply.

It is important that you have a back-up emergency management plan prepared and ready to action should the need arise.

Keep up to date with the current power and water supply interruptions.

Have an emergency management plan

Talk to your doctor, carer, family and friends and have an emergency management plan in place as backup to assist you if your services are suddenly interrupted.

When making your plan, consider:

How will your life support equipment function if the main power or water supply is interrupted?

Do you have backup batteries or a generator? Have you got an alternate water supply?

Where will you go?

Will you go to a carers, family or friend's house or your nearest medical centre?

How you will get there?

Do you have transport and will you be able to transport your equipment?

Who will you contact?

Do you have a contact list of names, addresses and telephone numbers, including your doctor, the nearest hospital, and someone nearby who can assist you?

How will you contact people? 

Remember some landline phones don't work without power.

Once you’ve created your plan, keep it somewhere handy so you can find it easily. You might like to share it with your carer, family and/or friends if necessary.

Important contact details

Keep contact details hand for those you may need to call:

  • Power and Water:
  • Emergency Services 000
  • Your electricity retailer
  • Your doctor
  • Your hospital
  • Your emergency contacts.

Keeping your details up to date

If your premises is registered as having someone who requires life support equipment, it's essential that you keep us and your electricity retailer informed of any changes at your premises, including but not limited to:

  • if the account holder is changing and life support status is still required for a resident at the address
  • if you are changing address and still require life support
  • if your contact details change
  • if you change electricity retailers or
  • if you no longer wish to be registered as a life support customer.

Your electricity retailer and Power and Water will share all relevant life support information.

Renewal and deregistration

Life support customers are reviewed each year to ensure the registration is still required and our records are up-to-date. This process will require you and your doctor to complete and sign the Life Support Application and Renewal form, to be resubmitted to us annually. You can email or post your completed form to us.

Deregistration can only occur if:

  • you advise us or your electricity retailer that you no longer need to be registered as a life support due to a change in your circumstances
  • you change electricity retailers or
  • you haven’t returned your completed Life Support Application and Renewal form within 50 business days from when it is issued.

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