‘One minute the family is sitting around eating, and the next the lights go out, the fridge stops humming and the children cry in fear.’
This happens quite a lot in Adelaide. The power can go out because of thunderstorms, hill fires, or a lot of people using electricity at once because it’s really hot. This can cause many problems, like food going bad, people being unable to talk to each other, elderly people getting too hot, and medical equipment not working.
So, instead of panicking, preparing for power outages in advance is better. This guide will teach you the scientific method and how to use it to prepare for a power outage in Adelaide with your family.
Common Causes of Power Outages in Adelaide
Severe Weather Events
Severe weather is one of the primary power outage causes in Adelaide, especially during the summer months and seasonal changes. Gusty winds mixed with lightning, torrential rain and occasional hail often strike the power system unmercifully.
When lightning strikes a transmission line, transformer, or distribution unit, it can instantly trigger a power surge, resulting in equipment damage, short circuits, or even the tripping of the entire line. These electrical accidents often come as a surprise, plunging large areas directly into darkness.
Adelaide’s strong sea breezes are also not to be underestimated. During storms, poles can be blown over, tree branches can break cables, and debris can scrape distribution boxes, all of which can cause knock-on failures. After a storm, restoring power to an entire neighbourhood can take hours or even days.
Flooding from heavy rains and storms can severely damage underground power lines. If floodwater seeps into electrical equipment, short circuits and malfunctions can occur.
Bushfires
Adelaide and the hilly areas around it are dry all year round. When fires break out in these areas, they can spread quickly and cause much damage. Flames can engulf power lines and towers and burn down entire power supply corridors.
Sometimes, even if the fire hasn’t reached them yet, the power company will cut the power to high-risk areas in advance to stop the fire from spreading. This is inconvenient, but it’s necessary to protect life and property.
Power cuts caused by hill fires can be long and slow to restore, especially in mountainous and wooded areas where access is difficult. This affects people’s lives and makes it difficult to communicate and plan rescues.
High Energy Demand
Adelaide’s summers can be very hot, so every home needs air conditioning. In extreme heat, the city’s electricity demand surges, and when grid loads reach critical levels, the system may be forced to restrict power or implement rotating blackouts.
Sometimes, the equipment in the substations gets too hot, and the system switches off to prevent it from breaking. This can cause power outages in some areas or even the whole city.
These outages usually happen in the afternoon or evening, when it is hottest. They can leave people without electricity and affect medical facilities, IT systems and industrial equipment. This is a very worrying situation if you need electricity all the time.
Infrastructure Issue
Adelaide’s power supply is generally stable, but some older equipment can malfunction. Transformers, substations and transmission lines are all essential parts of the grid. Over time, these components wear out and become more prone to failure. Decades-old underground cables and distribution boxes in disrepair often break down under high loads or in bad weather.
Roadworks and digging can damage cables and poles, and traffic accidents can cause power outages.
These sudden failures often happen without warning and require engineering staff to investigate and fix the problem, which slows down the restoration of power.
Planned Maintenance
Some Adelaide power outages are planned to stabilise the power supply long-term. The power company regularly arranges maintenance, replacing lines or upgrading equipment.
They usually plan these outages and try to schedule them at night or on weekends so that they cause minimal disruption to residents and businesses. However, it is still necessary to provide emergency power in advance for certain unique users, such as hospitals and cold chain warehouses. The advantage of planned power outages is that they can prevent more serious failures.
Who is most at risk during a power outage?
Power outages in Adelaide temporarily inconvenience most people, but for some, it can be more than just a lack of light. For these people, it can be a serious health threat and even be life-threatening. Here are some of the high-risk groups that are most likely to be affected when the power goes out:
Elderly Individuals
Older people are less able to cope with temperature changes. They find it harder to keep their body temperature steady as they age. If they don’t have air conditioning or heating when the power goes out, they are especially at risk of heat stroke or getting too cold.
Older people who have trouble getting around might be in even more danger. For example, an older adult living in a high-rise flat may find it challenging to get out quickly if the lift stops working. This can be very dangerous if they need to seek emergency medical attention or escape.
Infants and Young Children
Babies and young children have not yet developed the ability to regulate their body temperature, so they can quickly overheat or underheat in hot or cold environments. This is especially true in summer when there are power cuts, and fans and air conditioners cannot be used. This can lead to infants overheating, becoming irritable, and even becoming dehydrated.
It is also important to remember that infant formula needs to be brewed with clean, hot water. Power outages can affect hot water supplies and the operation of drinking water purification equipment, negatively impacting infants’ nutrition and daily feeding and hindering their healthy growth.
People with Medical Conditions
A power outage is dire for patients who rely on electricity to power their medical equipment. The loss of power to equipment such as ventilators, oxygen concentrators, dialysis machines, etc., can put patients at risk and prevent them from maintaining normal bodily functions.
Some medications, like insulin and biologics, must be kept in the fridge. If a power cut stops fridges or medical refrigeration equipment from working, these medications can quickly become useless, affecting the effectiveness of treatment and even causing problems. The problem worsens if the power outage duration is longer than a few hours and there is no quick way to get alternative power or emergency help.
Tips for Preparing for Power Outages in Adelaide
Power outages are unavoidable, but you can prepare for them. Here are the top seven tips for dealing with one.
Stay Informed
When the power goes out, information is power. Staying up-to-date on the situation can help you respond better:
- Subscribe to SA Power Networks’ outage alerts or visit their official website regularly for restoration times.
- Watch the local news and the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) for extreme weather warnings to prevent unexpected power outages due to storms, hill fires, etc.
- Have a battery-powered radio or backup charging device if your mobile phone signal or network goes down, and you can still receive important notifications.
Create an Emergency Kit
A good emergency kit can be a lifesaver if there’s a power cut.
- Make sure you have a torch, extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water, tinned food, a manual can opener, any essential meds and rechargeable batteries.
- If you have family members with medical needs, pack extra emergency equipment or supplies (like spare oxygen tanks or insulin cooler packs).
- Keep your emergency kit somewhere you can get to it quickly in the dark.
Protect Electronics & Appliances
Voltage surges can damage your equipment if there is a power cut.
- Use a surge protector to stop your equipment from being damaged.
- Unplug sensitive equipment such as TVs, computers and game consoles when the power goes out.
- If you have essential equipment that needs to stay powered up, like network or medical equipment, get an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). This will stop you from losing data or damaging your equipment when the power goes out.
Food & Refrigeration
If the power goes out in your fridge, don’t worry – you can still use the food.
- To keep the cold air in, don’t open the fridge door too often.
- A full freezer will stay cold for 48 hours, a half full for about 24 hours.
- Keep an ice bucket and ice pack ready to store milk, medicines and other items that must be kept cold.
- If food has been out of the fridge for more than 4 hours after a power cut, do not eat it.
Stay Cool in Summer & Warm in Winter
Keeping your body temperature steady is essential when the power’s out.
- In summer, draw the curtains, use battery-operated fans, drink plenty of water, and find the most fabulous corner of the room.
- In winter, wear warm clothes, use blankets, and close any rooms you’re not using to keep the heat in.
Communication & Safety
If there’s a power cut and you will not get in touch with anyone, it’s essential to have a backup plan:
- Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged before the power cuts out, and take a spare rechargeable battery.
- Make a family communication plan: know your emergency contacts and where you can meet in an emergency.
- Print out or write down all essential numbers on paper and put them in your emergency kit rather than relying on your mobile phone address book.
Post-Outage Checks
Don’t rush into business as usual once the power is restored:
- Check that appliances in your home are working correctly, reset alarm clocks, fridge temperature controls, network equipment, etc.
- Double-check your fridge and freezer and immediately dispose of any spoilt or suspicious food.
- If you see downed wires or electrical anomalies, report them to SA Power Networks immediately.
What products can consumers purchase to avoid power outages?
Power outages can be a nuisance, but they’re usually only short-term. However, they can still mess up your routine. So, instead of panicking, it’s better to be prepared. These emergency products can help keep your family, pets, and essential equipment safe, whether it’s a planned outage or a sudden grid failure.
Backup Power Sources
When the power grid fails, a ‘family guardian’ is a high-capacity portable power station like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 Portable Power Station. It can keep mobile phones and routers running and even critical equipment like refrigerators and microwaves going for hours or days. One user used the DELTA Pro 3 to save all the frozen food in his home during a 12-hour power outage, avoiding hundreds of Australian dollars in losses.
Solar panel
Pairing your power station with solar panels means that even when the power runs out, you can still use the sun to recharge it. Solar panels also provide a steady trickle charge in cloudy weather, supporting off-grid living for days or longer.
If you live in a remote area or are worried about extended power outages, a solar system as a home backup generator is the most cost-effective and sustainable solution.
Emergency Lighting & Power Accessories
It’s essential to be able to see and stay safe when it’s dark. This is an important part of any plan for dealing with an emergency. You can use many things to help, like rechargeable lanterns, battery-powered lights you can wear, USB lights and more. These can help you see in the dark, find supplies and move around quickly.
Remember to pack a variety of charging cables, adapters, surge protectors, and other accessories. These will ensure that you can quickly and safely connect your devices in an emergency, helping to avoid further damage caused by unstable voltages.
Heating & Cooling Solutions
Equipment to control indoor temperatures is essential when it’s very hot or very cold outside. Little fans, battery-powered heaters, electric blankets, and other devices can help ensure your home is always at the right temperature. This is especially important for older adults and babies, who cannot tolerate significant temperature changes as well as older people can. Reasonable temperature control is not only about being comfortable but also an essential way of preventing heat stroke and losing heat.
Food & Water Solutions
If the power goes out, the kitchen won’t be ‘paralysed’ if you have at least 72 hours’ worth of non-perishable food and bottled water. You can also cope with power outages with a small camping stove and a portable kettle. These can be connected to a power station or small generator to help you heat food, boil water and sterilise it. This ensures basic hygiene and nutritional intake. Don’t forget to pack some ready-to-eat tinned food, instant porridge and emergency hot water kits, which are especially useful if you’re in a pinch.
Conclusion
In real life, families who prepare in advance can stay calm if there’s an unexpected power outage in Adelaide. For those who are unprepared, a power cut can be nasty.
Adelaide’s weather is becoming more extreme, and power outages are a regular occurrence. However, sensible strategies and products can reduce the risks.
Planning to save for a rainy day can make you feel more secure. Start preparing now to make the next power outage less scary.
FAQs
What food should you buy in case of a power outage?
If, for whatever reason, there’s a power cut, it’s always a good idea to make sure you’ve got plenty of non-perishable food that doesn’t need refrigeration or cooking. You can prepare canned food (tuna, fruit), dry food (biscuits, nuts, cereals), bread, peanut butter, dried fruit, instant noodles, etc. And don’t forget bottled water, baby food, or special dietary foods, too!
Do gas stoves work without electricity?
Most gas stoves can be used without electricity. If your gas stove has an electronic ignition, you can manually light the burners with a match or lighter. Some newer gas stoves need electricity to control the gas flow, so they might not work if the power goes out.
What should I turn off before a power outage?
Before a power outage, it’s a good idea to unplug sensitive electronics like your TV, computer, game console, and kitchen appliances. Also, don’t forget to turn off your heating and cooling systems to avoid sudden restarts that could overload the circuit.