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Life Support
What is life support?
If you or someone in your property uses one of the below life support equipment, you may be eligible for protection under the life support energy regulations.
This means your address is registered with your local network and they will advise you in advance of any electricity outages so you can plan accordingly.
It also means in the event of a power outage your property will be on the priority list for reconnection of supply.
To be fully registered and receive all the protections provided to customers requiring life support equipment at their premises, complete the medical confirmation form and send it to us by email or post.
How to register
- Download the medical confirmation form
- Make sure you fill in the necessary details and sign the customer confirmation.
- Take the form to your medical practitioner to complete and sign the medical practitioner confirmation in the form.
If you live outside Victoria a medical certificate can count as medical confirmation provided that:
- it’s signed and dated by a medical practitioner
- and confirms that the person requires life support equipment, and the type of equipment required.
If your registered address is outside Victoria and you have an existing ‘Medical Confirmation Form’ dated and signed by a medical practitioner, you can send us that form instead of providing us with a new one. The form should meet the following requirements:
- The Medical Confirmation Form is signed and dated by a medical practitioner, within the past 4 years; and
- The form is legible (the print is readable).
- The form certifies that you or someone at your current address requires life support equipment and specifies the equipment type If you submitted a Medical Confirmation form to your previous retailer, you are able to request a copy from them, if you left that retailer less than 110 business days ago.
- Return the complete and signed form back to us, either by emailing to lifesupport@energylocals.com.au or post it to Energy Locals, 2/11 Newton Street, Cremorne, VIC 3121.
- We’ll then confirm receipt of your medical confirmation and notify the distributor.
What is classed as life support equipment?
- An oxygen concentrator
- An intermittent peritoneal dialysis machine
- A kidney dialysis machine
- A chronic positive airways pressure respirator
- Crigler najjar syndrome phototherapy equipment
- A ventilator for life support
- Any other equipment that a doctor says you need for life support.
Additional for Victoria only:
- External heart pumps
- Respirators (iron lung)
- Suction pumps (respiratory or gastric)
- Feeding pumps (kangaroo pump, or total parenteral nutrition)
- Insulin pumps
- Airbed vibrator
- Hot water
- Nebuliser, humidifiers, or vaporisers
- Apnoea monitors
- Medically required heating and air conditioning
- Medically required refrigeration
- Powered wheelchair.
If you have any questions about the equipment you or someone in your home uses and whether it is life support equipment, please talk to your doctor.
What are your rights and entitlements as a customer registered for life support?
It’s important your distributor and retailer know so we can do our best to keep your property on electricity supply.
Once registered, this means that you are given additional notice (4 days notice) of any planned power outages and that your property is treated as priority for reconnection if and when there are any outages.
- Once your property is registered as having life support equipment, you will receive 4 days written notice of any retailer or distributor planned power outages.
- Once your property is registered as having life support equipment, your electricity account will not be disconnected without your explicit consent.
What to do if the power goes out?
Your power can go out without warning. It is important that you have a plan if this happens. Make note of:
- Where will you go?
- How will you get there?
- How will you take your equipment?
- Who will you contact? (Keep a physical list of emergency contacts somewhere safe)
- How will you contact them?
- Is your backup equipment fully charged at all times?
Am I eligible for life support concessions?
In some states there are concessions and rebates for customers with Life Support Equipment. Visit Concessions to see what you may qualify for and download the relevant forms.
When does deregistration of Life Support take place?
There are situations that result in deregistration of life support at your premise:
If we don’t hear from you
If we haven’t received the completed Medical confirmation Form within the stipulated timeframe, and haven’t heard from you, we will notify the distributor to de-register your premises for life support. Once the site is de-registered you will not receive the protections provided for customers with life support under the regulations.
We will actively try to contact you prior to de-registration, using the telephone number and email address provided by you at the time you set up your customer account with us.
If you leave Energy Locals
If you’ve registered your requirement for Life Support Equipment with us, your registration will cease and you’ll need to apply to have your Life Support Equipment registered with your new retailer. If you’ve registered with your distributor, they’ll let your new retailer know.
If you move house
Your registration is specific to your current address, if you move to a new house you’ll need call us on 1300 693 637 to re-apply to have your Life Support Equipment registered at your new address.
If you no longer need life support registered at your address
Call us on 1300 693 637 and we will update your account. We’ll send you a confirmation letter to confirm when the Life Support registration is being de-registered from your account.
Important contacts
See emergency contact number for each distributor.
| NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRIBUTORS | CONTACT NUMBER | NMI PREFIX |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Energy | 13 20 80 | 400, 4204, 4407, 4508 |
| Endeavour Energy | 13 10 03 | 431 |
| Ausgrid | 13 13 88 | 4102, 4103, 4104 |
| QUEENSLAND DISTRIBUTORS | CONTACT NUMBER | NMI PREFIX |
| Energex | 13 62 62 | 31 or QB |
| Ergon | 13 22 96 | 30 |
| VICTORIAN DISTRIBUTORS | CONTACT NUMBER | NMI PREFIX |
| Jemena | 13 16 26 | 6001 |
| CitiPower | 13 12 80 | 6102 |
| Powercor | 13 24 12 | 6203 |
| AusNet Services | 13 17 99 | 6305 |
| United Energy | 13 20 99 | 6407 |
| SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTORS | CONTACT NUMBER | NMI PREFIX |
| SA Power Networks | 13 13 66 | 2001 |
| AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY DISTRIBUTORS | CONTACT NUMBER | NMI PREFIX |
| Evo Energy | 13 10 93 | 70 |
| TASMANIA DISTRIBUTORS | CONTACT NUMBER | NMI PREFIX |
| Tas Networks | 13 20 04 | 80, 859 |
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