Overview
- A study by Original Power and the First Nations Clean Energy Network reports 440,000 prepaid electricity disconnections in the past year affecting more than 8,000 households.
- About 65,000 customers in the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Far North Queensland are on government‑mandated prepayment plans.
- Disconnections more than doubled once temperatures exceeded about 39.5°C, with average annual outages of 41–59 per household in the NT, 33 in WA and 14 in SA.
- Residents reported food spoilage and loss of refrigeration for medicines, with some walking long distances to buy credit or keep insulin cold.
- The report urges a heat‑safe safety net, a priority services register, better retailer reporting, access to renewables and hardship supports, while Power and Water highlighted a helpline and emergency credit and the federal energy minister signalled engagement.