Right now, in this order
People first
If someone is still touching something live, don't touch them. Call 000.
Main switch off, if it's safe
Leave it if the meter box is wet, sparking or smoking, or you'd be standing in water to reach it.
Lines down, a tingle, or the street is out
Ring SA Power Networks on 13 13 66. Stay well back from any fallen line, and don't touch an appliance or tap that gave someone a tingle until the crew has looked at it.
Storm or flood damage to the house
Call the SES on 132 500, and leave anything that's been wet switched off.
How emergencies play out in Adelaide
One network, one number
SA Power Networks runs the poles and wires across the state. Its faults line, 13 13 66, is staffed 24/7, and its live outage map lets you check an address to see whether the neighbours are out too.
Tingles get a free network check
SA Power Networks asks you to call straight away after any shock or tingle at home. If its crew finds the problem is in the property's wiring, the owner, or the landlord in a rental, has to get it repaired, and the power may stay off until then.
When the whole state went dark
On 28 September 2016, storms and tornadoes damaged 23 transmission towers and all of South Australia lost power. Adelaide's power came back within a few hours. An outage that size is the network's to fix, not an electrician's.
Hail and flash flooding
The January 1991 hailstorm caused water damage in many Adelaide houses, and flash flooding hit the suburbs in March 2016. Water through a ceiling can reach light fittings and wiring, so leave that circuit off until an electrician has checked it.
Bushfire days in the Hills
SA Power Networks warns power may go out in bushfire weather even with no fire nearby, and it may switch off supply in extreme conditions, in consultation with the CFS. If a fire came close to your property, it won't reconnect until an electrician has confirmed the wiring is safe and provided a compliance certificate.
After a flood
If floodwater got into your home, SA Power Networks needs an electrician to test and repair the wiring and hand over a certificate of compliance before it reconnects. Your retailer arranges the reconnection itself.
Is it the network or your house?
Check the outage map or look at the neighbours' lights. If the street is out, the fix is SA Power Networks'. If it's only you, look at the switchboard: a tripped safety switch can be reset once with appliances on that circuit unplugged. If it won't stay on, or nothing has tripped, you need an electrician, and it's worth ringing 13 13 66 as well in case the fault is in the supply to your home.
If only some rooms are dark, power out in part of the house has the checks to try first.
Getting an urgent Adelaide job to an electrician
We don't run a 24-hour line. If we have a licence-checked Adelaide electrician who takes urgent fault work in your area, we pass your job to them and they contact you; we can't promise how fast. Pick Something's not working and mark it as urgent in the form.
When they ring, tell them what tripped, what you saw or smelled, and whether SA Power Networks has already been out. After the repair, you should get an eCoC within 30 days.
What you can safely do while you wait
You can
- Switch off at the main switch, if you can reach it dry and undamaged.
- Reset a tripped safety switch once, with that circuit's appliances unplugged.
- Unplug anything that sparked, smelled hot or tripped the power.
- Keep everyone away from a tap, rail or appliance that gave a tingle.
Leave to a licensed electrician
- Anything scorched, melted, buzzing or smoking behind a cover.
- A safety switch that won't stay on.
- Testing and repairing wiring after water, fire or a surge, before reconnection.
What we'd do tonight, before anything goes wrong
We'd save 13 13 66 in every phone, bookmark SA Power Networks' outage map, and make sure everyone at home can find the main switch with a torch. In the Hills, we'd plan for losing power on the worst fire days, especially if anyone relies on medical equipment. Then it's 000 or the network first, and an electrician once it's safe.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.