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Living in Perth means living at the risk of power outages, especially during the summer with the ongoing threat of bushfires and severe tropical cyclone storms that often affect us from November to April.
This article will delve into the common causes of outages in Perth, how to check for an outage and report one in your area, the steps you can take to prepare and what to do when the next one strikes.
Let’s get started.
How Can I Check if There’s a Power Cut in My Area?
You can check Western Power’s website to see if the grid is down in your area or if something is just wrong with your household electricity. It’s the best source for real-time information on things affecting your local energy grid.
Find the Outages tab at the top left of their website, where you can either browse the listed power outages, search your suburb, or even click the convenient Show My Location button.
Common Causes of Power Outages in Perth
Common Causes of Power Outages
There are many reasons why the grid can go down in Perth. The main reason is severe weather, with high winds and severe storms that can damage the lines. Accidental damage to the lines from vehicle collisions also often causes the grid to go down in the Perth area.
In the summertime, the intense heat and smoke from bushfires may damage the lines or other equipment, causing grid downtime until it is safe for workers to repair them. Another source of unexpected outages is when birds or possums come into contact with the lines or transformers, which can cause short circuits leading to a localised outage.
Sometimes, Western Power does regular maintenance or upgrades that require scheduled shutdowns to protect the safety of the workers while they work on the system. Another source of outages in Perth is when the grid occasionally becomes overloaded during peak usage hours.
Where Are the Areas Most Affected by Power Outages?
Recently, wet weather has triggered widespread outages across Perth. The city’s north end, including Padbury, Kingsley, Craigie, Carramar, and Greenwood, plus suburbs between Eglinton and Seabird in Perth’s outer northern corridor, has been particularly hard hit.
How Do I Report a Power Outage in Perth?
You can report an outage in Perth by contacting Western Power. You can visit them on their official website or call 13 13 51.
How to Prepare for a Power Outage in Perth
1. Create an Emergency Plan
An emergency plan is essential for any household to deal with emergencies, including outages. Your plan should include emergency contact numbers, a list of emergency supplies, and an evacuation route if necessary.
Ensure that everyone in your home knows the plan, when and how to enact it, and where all the emergency supplies are located. Discuss different scenarios, such as what to do at night, during extreme weather, and if not all family members are home.
2. Assemble an Emergency Kit
An essential part of emergency preparation is having emergency supplies in your home. It’s best to keep your supplies together in a bin so that you can quickly grab them and go if an evacuation is necessary. Keep it in an easy-to-reach area for easy access rather than stumbling around in the dark. Important items to include are:
- Drinking water and chlorination tablets or other means to sterilise water in the case of extended emergencies
- Non-perishable foods like granola bars and canned goods (including a can opener!) are great choices. You should keep enough to feed all family members and pets for three days.
- Flashlights and charged batteries
- Complete first-aid kit
- Spare clothing
- Essential medications for family members
- Any other essentials that infants, the elderly, or household pets will need.
3. Invest in a Backup Power Supply
A backup energy supply means you can keep your essential appliances running even when the grid goes down. It’s an essential step because you often have no idea how long the outage will last.
So, to avoid going for a long time without electricity and potentially losing all your frozen or refrigerated goods, invest in a home backup solution like EcoFlow’s whole-house generators.
4. Install Surge Protectors and Check Your Smoke Alarms
It’s a good idea to install surge protectors since power surges are common when the electricity comes back on. They can quickly overload your devices, especially sensitive electronics like computers and TVs.
Routinely checking your smoke alarms is also a good idea since people often use candles during an outage, increasing the fire risk in your home.
5. Keep Devices and Backup Power Supply Fully Charged
Nothing is worse than having everything you need to be prepared, only to find out your battery backup is dead when you need it most. Investing in solar panels is a great idea: you can keep your backup battery charged so it’s there when you need it, including during extended blackouts.
Steps to Take During a Power Outage in Perth
When the electricity inevitably goes out, here are some important steps to follow.
1. Turn On Your Backup Generator
If your backup generator isn’t set to come on automatically during an outage, start your backup system so you can get your lights and essential appliances up and running again. If you use a fossil fuel generator, it’s critical you don’t bring it indoors. The toxic fumes can cause serious health problems or worse.
2. Disconnect Electronics
Unplug all electronics that aren’t connected to a power surge bar or outlet. When the electricity comes back on, a surge could damage them, sometimes irreparably.
3. Keep Energy Use to a Minimum
Even if you have a backup solution, you don’t know how long the grid might be down. So keep your energy use to a minimum. Only turn on essential lights and appliances and unplug anything when not in use. Also, keep your refrigerators and freezers closed to keep the food cold for as long as possible.
4. Stay Informed
Check Western Power’s website or your local news to keep informed of what is happening in your area. They’ll have critical information like how long the outage is expected to last, what caused it, and if you should get prepared to evacuate, which may happen during outages caused by a bushfire.
Final Thoughts
Power outages happen in Perth, but you don’t need to be caught unprepared. Prepare for them by developing an emergency plan, stocking up on essential supplies, and investing in a reliable EcoFlow Home Backup solution.
When outages occur, enact your emergency plan to keep your family safe, and be sure to check Western Power for up-to-date information.