What are protected periods?

Did you know there are laws to protect you from losing power during certain times, like the festive season or heatwaves?

Under the National Energy Retail Rules (NERR), energy retailers are restricted from disconnecting power to your home during specific times, known as protected periods. These include:

Weekends and public holidays
Fridays and any day that falls before a public holiday
Business days before 8am and after 3pm
The days between 20 and 31 December

What if you’ve received a disconnection notice?

This means that if you’ve been sent a disconnection notice (e.g., for unpaid bills), your energy provider can only disconnect you outside of the protected periods listed above. Small business owners can rest easy too. If your business consumes less than 160MWh per year, these rules apply to your business as well.

Additionally, disconnections are prohibited during heatwaves. A heatwave is defined as three consecutive days where the average temperature (minimum + maximum) is 28°C or higher, as forecasted by the Bureau of Meteorology.

Can you still lose power?

Yes, disconnection due to storms, extreme weather events, or powerline damage can still happen. Protected periods only apply to planned disconnections by energy providers.

Stay informed and know your rights when it comes to energy disconnections, so you can rest easy and enjoy peace of mind during the festive season. If you’re facing a disconnection notice, reach out to your energy provider as soon as possible to discuss your options. If you can’t resolve it with them, please give us a call on 1800 665 565.

What are protected periods?