Extreme-heat days and demand spikes
Victoria's 40°C-plus days drive a huge air-conditioning load that can overheat local equipment and force outages, often in the late afternoon when demand peaks.
Live outage map · Melbourne, VIC
Melbourne power outage: map & report
Is the power out in Melbourne? Check the live map below for outages near you and report your own. Melbourne is split between several distributors, so your faults line depends on your suburb, find yours below. If a powerline is down, call 000 first.
Melbourne is the one city where your distributor genuinely depends on your suburb. CitiPower runs the CBD and inner ring, Jemena the north-west, United Energy the south-east, Powercor the west and AusNet the outer north and east. Check the Victoria faults numbers to match your area to the right line.
The CBD
The inner north
The western suburbs
The south-east
Live now
Melbourne power outage map: check outages near you
This live map shows current power outages reported in and around Melbourne. Enter your address to recentre it on your street, see whether an outage has been reported nearby, and report your own so neighbours are warned. For a fallen line or danger to life, call 000 first.
Live power outages near Melbourne
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Source: user reports · Selectra
Current power outage reports
No active power outages are currently reported by users. If your power is out, use the address check above to report it.
Add to the map
Report a power outage
Reporting is anonymous, appears straight away on the map above, and helps others in your area. It does not replace calling your distributor faults line, which is what gets a crew dispatched and protects any compensation you may be owed.
Thanks, your report has been submitted and will help others in your area.
Reports are submitted anonymously and let other users know about power outages in progress. For a fallen line or danger to life, call 000 first.
Melbourne power outage & faults number
13 12 80CitiPower · 24/7 faults & emergencies
This covers inner Melbourne. Other suburbs are on Jemena, United Energy, Powercor or AusNet, see the Victoria faults numbers.
Fallen powerline or danger to life? Call 000 first
If you see a fallen powerline, sparking, fire or anyone in danger in Melbourne, call Triple Zero (000) immediately and stay at least 8 metres clear, treating every line as live. Then report the network fault to CitiPower on 13 12 80.
Local context
Why the power goes out in Melbourne
The most common causes of outages across Victoria and the CitiPower network.
Violent wind storms
Victoria is exposed to powerful cold fronts and wind storms. The June 2021 storm in the Dandenong Ranges felled thousands of trees onto lines and left some homes without power for over a week.
Bushfire risk and safety shutdowns
On high fire-danger days, distributors can cut power pre-emptively in high-risk areas, and fire damage can take lines down for extended repairs.
Lightning and trees on lines
Summer thunderstorms bring lightning strikes, while heavily treed outer-eastern suburbs and ranges see branches regularly bring down powerlines.
In a blackout
What to do during a Melbourne power outage
Five steps, in order, from checking for danger to protecting your fridge.
Check for danger first
If a powerline is down, or there is fire, smoke or sparks, call 000 straight away and stay at least 8 metres clear of any fallen line.
Is it you or the network?
Check whether your neighbours and the streetlights still have power. If they do, check your switchboard for a tripped safety switch and reset it once.
Check the map, then report it
Use the live map above to see if an outage is already reported nearby. If not, call CitiPower on 13 12 80, not your retailer, and report it once.
Protect your fridge and freezer
Keep both doors shut. A closed fridge stays cold for about four hours and a full freezer for roughly a day. Do not refreeze food that has fully thawed.
Guard against the restoration surge
Turn off and unplug sensitive appliances. When power returns it can come back with a surge that damages anything left on.
Plan for next time
Save the CitiPower faults number in your phone now, and keep a torch and charged power bank handy. If anyone relies on life support, register with your retailer.
Money back
Melbourne power outage compensation
Under the Victorian Guaranteed Service Level (GSL) scheme, CitiPower pays an automatic credit when outages exceed the duration or frequency thresholds set by the Essential Services Commission.
The payment usually lands as an automatic credit on your next bill, passed through your retailer, with no claim to lodge. Read our guide to power outage compensation for the thresholds and how to check yours.
Nearby
Power outages elsewhere in Victoria
Common questions
A Selectra expert answers your Melbourne power outage questions
Melbourne is split between several distributors, so your faults line depends on your suburb. CitiPower covers the CBD and inner ring, Jemena the north-west, United Energy the south-east, Powercor the west and AusNet the outer north and east. Match your area on our Victoria faults numbers page, then call that 24/7 line, not your retailer. If a powerline is down or anyone is in danger, call Triple Zero (000) first.
Use the live map above: type your Melbourne address and it recentres on your street and shows whether anyone nearby has reported an outage. CitiPower also runs its own outage map showing confirmed network faults and estimated restoration times at citipower.com.au.
The CitiPower faults and outage number is 13 12 80, staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is the same number whether the Melbourne outage is planned or unplanned.
If your neighbour has power, the fault is probably inside your own property, most often a tripped safety switch in your switchboard. Reset it once; if it trips again, unplug appliances and call a licensed electrician. If your whole street is dark, it is a CitiPower network outage to report on 13 12 80.
Under the Victorian Guaranteed Service Level (GSL) scheme, CitiPower pays an automatic credit when outages exceed the duration or frequency thresholds set by the Essential Services Commission. The credit usually appears on your next bill through your retailer, with no claim needed. See our power outage compensation guide for the detail.
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You can't choose CitiPower, but you can cut the rest of your bill
Network charges are fixed by your distributor, but they are only part of your bill. The retailer's energy and supply charges are the part you control. Compare retailers that supply your address to find a cheaper plan.