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Power interruptions and surges
Power interruptions and surges happen in an electricity network — although the trend in Victoria is for a lower number of outages, except where there is an exceptional storm event.
Some areas experience more electricity interruptions than others. To give electricity distributors an incentive to upgrade less reliable infrastructure, there is a Guaranteed Service Level (GSL) scheme which pays customers who experience a high number of power interruptions.
At present, the GSL payments are:
- $100 where the customer experiences more than 20 hours of unplanned sustained* interruptions per year (or $150 for more than 30 hours or $300 for more than 60 hours)
- $100 where a customer experiences more than 10 unplanned sustained interruptions per year (or $150 for more than 15 or $300 for more than 30)
- $25 where a customer experiences more than 24 momentary interruptions per year (or $35 for more than 36).
* Note: sustained means the interruption lasts for more than a minute, while 'momentary' means the interruption was less than a minute.
The restoration of power after a supply interruption can sometimes be accompanied by a surge. A surge is different from an interruption — it's a brief period of higher than normal voltage that can damage electrical appliances. Under the Voltage Variation Compensation Guideline which applies in Victoria, you may be entitled to compensation if electrical equipment has been damaged.
For more information about the legal framework protecting Victoria customers, see EWOV and the Legal Framework.
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