If your power has gone out, here’s what you need to know and who to contact.In an emergency, call 111 immediately.If you can smell gas, see sparks or fallen power lines, or anyone is in danger, do not touch any electrical equipment. Move to safety and call emergency services straight away.
Power outages are managed by your local lines company (also called a network distributor), not by your electricity retailer. Your lines company owns and maintains the poles, wires, and infrastructure that deliver electricity to your property.
Supa is your electricity retailer: we buy and bill your power, but we don’t control the network. If the lights go out, your lines company is your first port of call.
Most lines companies have live outage maps and status pages on their websites. You can check whether there’s a known outage in your area, see estimated restoration times, and report a new fault directly.
To find your lines company, check a recent electricity bill or refer to the list below based on your region.
Contact your local lines company to report a fault or check outage status in your area.
If you use electricity from us, we will communicate with you clearly about your rights and the choices you can make, even if you have not signed up with us yet.We view the disconnection of electricity for non-payment of bills as a last resort. We will work with you to try and keep your electricity connected and avoid building up debt. We might not always get it right, but we are committed to learning continually from our experiences to improve the support we offer you.
Not sure which lines company covers your address? Check your latest Supa bill, where your network distributor is listed. You can also contact us and we’ll point you in the right direction.
From time to time, your lines company will need to switch off power in your area to carry out maintenance or upgrade work on the network. These are called planned outages.Your lines company is required to give you at least four business days’ notice before a planned outage. This notice is typically sent by letter or posted on their website. If you haven’t received notice of a planned outage that affects you, contact your lines company directly using the details above.
Unplanned outages happen when something unexpected damages or disrupts the power network. Common causes include storms, vehicle accidents, equipment failure, and vegetation coming into contact with power lines. These outages are not scheduled and cannot be predicted.If your power goes out without warning, check your lines company’s outage map first. If the outage hasn’t been reported yet, call their faults line to let them know.
If your neighbours still have power, the issue may be at your property rather than on the network. Before calling your lines company or Supa, check the following:
If you or someone in your household depends on electricity for critical medical equipment such as an oxygen concentrator, dialysis machine, or ventilator, it’s important that both Supa and your lines company know about it.
Registering as a medically dependent customer means you’ll receive priority notice of planned outages and, where possible, additional support during unplanned outages. In line with the Electricity Authority’s consumer care guidelines, Supa will not disconnect a medically dependent customer for non-payment.
You will need to maintain a back-up power supply or other emergency arrangements as appropriate. Your lines company may also have a specific process for registering vulnerable customers on their network.To register as medically dependent with Supa, or to update your details, please contact us at support@supa.energy. You’ll need a notice of potential medically dependent consumer status form completed by your health practitioner.
Supa recognises that some customers may face particular challenges during a power outage due to age, health conditions, disability, or severe financial hardship. If you or someone in your household is in a vulnerable situation, please let us know so we can work with you on appropriate support.
We comply with the Electricity Authority’s consumer care guidelines and can help connect you with support agencies such as Work and Income where appropriate.
If you have solar panels or a battery storage system, be aware that during a network outage your system may automatically disconnect from the grid as a safety measure. This is by design: it prevents exported power from entering the network while line workers are carrying out repairs.
If your system doesn’t resume normal operation after power is restored, contact your solar installer or check your inverter’s display for fault codes. If you believe there’s a network-side issue, contact your lines company.
Under the Electricity Industry Participation Code, you may be entitled to compensation from your lines company if your power is out for an extended period. The specific thresholds and payment amounts are set by the Electricity Authority and vary by distributor.If you’ve experienced a prolonged outage and believe you may be eligible, contact your lines company in the first instance. You can also visit the Electricity Authority website for more information on your rights as a consumer.
If you’re not satisfied with how an outage or any related matter has been handled, you can raise a complaint with Supa. We’ll acknowledge your complaint and aim to resolve it within 20 business days. If the matter requires further investigation, we’ll keep you informed throughout, with a final resolution within 40 business days.If we can’t reach a resolution, you have the right to escalate your complaint to Utilities Disputes, a free, independent, and fair resolution service for consumers.Utilities Disputes can be reached at 0800 22 33 40 or info@utilitiesdisputes.co.nz.
If you’ve checked with your lines company and the issue isn’t network-related, or if you need help with your account during an outage, get in touch with us at support@supa.energy.For general enquiries about your power supply, billing, or account, you can also log in to your Supa account online.
