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After a few years of mild summers, Australia is back to experiencing extreme heat.
Unfortunately, heat waves put an enormous strain on the power grid, particularly in provinces like New South Wales, which have traditionally relied on coal plants to generate electricity.
NSW residents and businesses have already been asked to limit electricity consumption during peak demand hours — from 3pm to 8pm.
So far, cooperation with restrictions on power consumption has been voluntary.
However, many are concerned that stricter restrictions may be coming…
More crucially, this summer’s extreme heat is almost guaranteed to cause blackouts across the country or even extended power outages.
How did we get here?
And what can you do to keep your home up and running and cool enough to stay safe?
Read on to find out.
What Are the Causes of Summer Blackouts in Australia?
Australia is expected to suffer widespread power outages in the Summer of 2025 due to extreme heat waves and utility grid infrastructure that’s unable to reliably supply enough electricity to meet the demand from consumers, small businesses, and industry.
Hot summers in Australia are nothing new, of course…
But the last few years of relatively mild weather seem to have masked underlying weaknesses in the country’s ability to generate sufficient power to meet demand during periods of extreme heat.
Here are the primary reasons blackouts are expected to be brutal this year — especially in NSW and Victoria.
(Source: Climate Council)
Record-Setting Heat Waves
If you were around for Angry Summer in 2013/2014, you may think you know just how hot Australia can get.
Unfortunately, 2025 could bring the most extreme heat waves yet.
Winter in 2024 smashed multiple high-temperature records, particularly in Western Australia, where the new record for the hottest August day in recorded history (41.6C) — and the warmest winter month ever — was set.
In November 2024, Australia was one of the hottest places in the world.
Dr Linden Ashcroft, a climate scientist at the University of Melbourne, told The Guardian UK, “It doesn’t matter how you slice and dice it. The temperature records have been gobsmacking.”
Severe weather season in Australia has always been a challenge, but extreme heat coupled with infrastructure challenges could make it the worst summer for blackouts yet.
Transition from Coal Plants to Renewable Power
Australia’s solar and wind power resources are the envy of the world.
The Labor Party government claims to be committed to decarbonisation and achieving net-zero carbon emission goals by 2050.
In his 2024 Annual Climate Change Statement to Parliament, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said, “Net zero by 2050 is not optional. Which means the critical decade is now. Not some hypothetical time in the distant future.”
Whether you agree with him or not — and no matter what your politics — some experts and opposition politicians argue that the rapid transition to intermittent energy sources like solar and wind has led to a less reliable grid — at least in the short term.
In a recent article predicting rolling blackouts — also known as load-shedding — “Opposition climate change and energy spokesman Ted O’Brien said Australia’s base load of power coming from coal had been shut down prematurely, labelling ‘the entire thing a mess’”.
The government may have blinked, as Chris Bowen recently “backed new powers allowing states to mandate the extension of retiring coal-and-gas-fired power plants.”
Meanwhile, Peter Dutton’s Coalition recently announced its detailed plan (with costings) to lift the nuclear power ban and replace coal plants with nuclear ones.
Bowen calls nuclear power a “dangerous furphy”, and even in the rosiest forecasts about building new plants, they won’t start generating electricity for years.
Either way, there’s no clear resolution in sight.
No matter your feelings about climate change and national decarbonisation, you can personally enjoy the benefits of Australia’s abundant sunlight and shield yourself from blackouts during the renewables transition by installing home battery backup power and residential solar panels.
Ageing Grid Infrastructure
Before anyone gets nostalgic about coal, it’s helpful to face the facts about the current condition of Australia’s ageing electricity grid infrastructure — and what can be done to fix it.
Many make the argument that the transition to renewables is happening too quickly — even recklessly.
However, many of Australia’s decommissioned coal plants were old and unreliable before being taken offline.
Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie recently said, “The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a very hot summer ahead, which will put enormous pressure on Australia’s ageing coal-fired power stations. You wouldn’t expect a 40-year-old car to keep running smoothly, and we can’t rely on these ageing stations to deliver during extreme heat”.
It’s easy to play the blame game about who’s responsible for the state of the grid, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s unlikely to hold up — and there’s no easy fix.
In the meantime, there are steps you can take to help ensure your home energy security and independence.
How Can You Back Up Home Electricity and Air Conditioning During Power Outages?
Almost everyone agrees that blackouts will be a way of life in many parts of Australia — in Summer 2025 and beyond.
Politicians are busy blaming each other’s parties and government officials for the mess, but it’s not going away anytime soon.
Fortunately, you can fend for yourself…
EcoFlow offers a wide variety of portable off-grid home backup battery solutions and solar generators that are safe for indoor use.
It also has a range of Smart Devices to keep your family cool and your food cold.
For example, EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 provides up to 12 kilowatts of AC output (24kW) and 36kWh of home backup battery storage — if you connect 3 units in parallel.
That’s more than enough power for almost any flat or house.
It’s a modular system, so you can start with 1 x DELTA Pro 3 with 4000W of continuous power, 6000W of operating power, and 12000W starting wattage.
The portable power station comes with 4 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of LFP battery storage built-in, and you can add up to 2 x Smart Extra Batteries for a total of 12kWh to keep most homes up and running for the better part of a day without recharging.
Speaking of charging, EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 gives you loads of options, including on-grid AC power, solar panels, 800W alternator charging, and more.
Seasonal Average Electricity Consumption in Kilowatt-Hours (kWh) by Location/DNSP
(Source: Australian Energy Regulator)
Household electricity consumption varies by location and DNSP, but according to the most recent AER benchmark data, the average Aussie home consumes 14.4kWh per day in the summer and 5,431kwh annually.
Of course, in the real world, consumption varies considerably per household based on factors such as the number of occupants and usage patterns.
Learn how to calculate your home electricity usage in kWh.
Once you figure out which appliances and systems like AC you want to be able to run in a blackout — and for how long — it’s easy to find an EcoFlow portable power station or solar generator to meet your needs.
In a heat wave, air conditioning is virtually a necessity, but it also eats up a ton of electricity, no matter what kind of backup power source or generator you use.
EcoFlow WAVE 2 portable air conditioner is an excellent energy-efficient alternative to central HVAC and window AC units.
It quickly cools a room by ten degrees (10°C) from 30°C to 20°C with 5,500bTus of power
Thanks to the built-in LFP battery it runs for up to 8 hours between charges and requires minimal electricity for recharging.
You can do without cooling every nook and cranny of the house in a blackout, but having AC in at least one room makes all the difference.
If you pair WAVE 2 with EcoFlow DELTA 3, you can run essential appliances — like your refrigerator and TV — for hours at the same time.
Speaking of fridges, EcoFlow Glacier portable refrigerator is another Smart Device that can come in handy during an outage.
It also takes road trips and picnics to the next level.
You can even charge it directly with a portable solar panel.
No matter how much power backup you need, EcoFlow has you covered — and they’re compact enough to take on the road for camping and other off-grid adventures.
Final Thoughts
The causes of this summer’s power shortage are subject to debate, but the answers matter less than staying comfortable and cool at home.
EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro 3 and WAVE 2 portable AC enable you to do both at an affordable cost.
No matter how much — or how little — home backup power you need, EcoFlow has a solution for you.
Check out our selection today.