Proposed rules to protect life support customers during outages and extreme weather events
Essential Services Commission
The Essential Services Commission has proposed new rules to improve how energy businesses register customers who rely on life support equipment.
Victorian rules require energy businesses to keep a register of customers who rely on life-support equipment. These registers are given to emergency services during major power outages and extreme weather events like bushfires.
Accurate life support registers help emergency services focus their efforts on those needing critical help during major power outages.
The proposed changes:
- require retailers and embedded network operators to undertake a yearly check in with life support customers to confirm whether life support equipment is still required at the premises and ensure details are up to date
- enable medical practitioners to identify customers experiencing a life-threatening condition with higher likelihood of injury or death due to prolonged power outages. This information would help support emergency services to triage customers for more urgent support
- update the responsibility for the life support register, including all related processes, so only energy retailers can make changes to the register, minimising the likelihood of conflicting information and errors
- require energy businesses to allow life support customers to provide a secondary contact and preferred communication method during outages and emergencies.
Customers relying on life support equipment also receive information to help them prepare for energy outages and cannot be disconnected due to unpaid bills. These protections will remain the same.
The draft rules address changes proposed from independent reviews of major unplanned power outages in Victoria.
The commission is working with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and the Australian Energy Market Commission to ensure consistency across jurisdictions where possible. Its proposed rules closely align with changes being considered by the Australian Energy Market Commission, following a rule change from South Australia Power Networks and Essential Energy.
The rules have been drafted following feedback from stakeholders, including energy businesses, consumer groups, community organisations, emergency services and peak medical bodies.
Feedback on the proposed changes can be submitted through Engage Victoria until 5pm 16 April 2026. The final rules will be released in mid-2026.
Quotes attributable to Essential Services Commission Chairperson and Commissioner, Gerard Brody
“Accurate life support registers are important during major outages. The proposed changes can help emergency services know who needs critical support if the power goes out.”
“This summer’s bushfires and heatwaves are examples of the environmental risks to our electricity network. Our proposed rules look ahead to better protect people on life support who lose power in events like these.”
“We’ve coordinated with rule making bodies across the country, including the Australian Energy Market Commission, to ensure our proposed changes are consistent with national energy rules, where possible. Greater alignment means less duplication and lower compliance costs for businesses, without compromising the safety of those who rely on life support equipment.”
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