The short answer
If the power goes off, first look outside: if the neighbours and street lights are out too, it's almost certainly a network outage. Check essentialenergy.com.au/outages or call Essential Energy on 13 20 80 to report it. If only your place is out, check your switchboard for a tripped safety switch or circuit breaker. Reset it once. If it trips again straight away, or nothing has tripped and you still have no power, call a licensed electrician. If you see fallen powerlines, stay at least 8 metres away and call 13 20 80, or 000 if anyone's life is at risk.
Essential Energy is the electricity network for Wagga Wagga and the whole Riverina, Albury included. They own the poles, wires and meters up to your connection point. Your retailer (the company that sends the bill) doesn't fix outages.
Step 1: Is it just you, or the whole street?
Have a quick look around before you touch anything:
- Are the neighbours' lights on? Is their aircon running?
- Are the street lights working at night?
- Did the lights flicker or dim first, or did everything go off at once?
- Was there a storm, strong wind or a car hitting a pole nearby?
If the whole street is dark, it's a network problem. There's nothing in your switchboard that will fix it. Check Essential Energy's outage information at essentialenergy.com.au/outages. If your area isn't listed, report it on 13 20 80 (faults, emergencies and outages). For general questions to Essential Energy, the number is 13 23 91.
Step 2: If it's only your place, check the switchboard
Open the switchboard (usually in the meter box outside, or a cupboard inside) and look for anything switched to the off position:
- Safety switches (RCDs) have a "T" or "Test" button. When one trips, it cuts power to the circuits it protects. That might be all your power points but still leave the lights on, or the other way round.
- Circuit breakers protect one circuit each. A tripped breaker sits in the middle or off position.
- Main switch: check it's on.
If something has tripped, it's safe to switch it back on once. If it holds, keep an eye on it. If it trips again straight away, leave it off. That usually means a fault on that circuit or an appliance plugged into it. Our guide to a safety switch that keeps tripping explains how to narrow it down by unplugging appliances, without opening anything up.
If you still have ceramic fuses rather than switches, a blown fuse is a job for an electrician. Rewiring fuses is electrical work, and an old fuse board is a sign the switchboard is due for a look. See ceramic fuses vs circuit breakers.
Step 3: Nothing has tripped but there's no power
If every switch is on, the neighbours have power and you don't, the problem is likely somewhere between the street and your switchboard. That could be the service fuse, the overhead or underground service line, or the meter.
This is where you need to be careful about who does what. In NSW, an ordinary licensed electrician who isn't an authorised Level 2 Accredited Service Provider (ASP) must not disconnect or reconnect at the service fuse or the meter, break distributor seals, or work on the service or metering equipment. That's set out in the Service and Installation Rules of NSW (April 2026 edition). So:
- Call Essential Energy on 13 20 80 first. If it's their equipment, they'll fix it.
- If it turns out to be inside your installation (your switchboard, consumer mains or wiring), you need a licensed electrician.
- If the service fuse or meter needs work, that's for Essential Energy or a Level 2 ASP. Nelson isn't advertising Level 2 work, but he can find the fault on your side and tell you who to call.
Fallen powerlines and storm damage
Storms, wind and falling branches bring lines down across the Riverina. If you see a fallen powerline or a damaged pole:
- Stay at least 8 metres away, and keep others and animals back.
- Treat every fallen line as live.
- Call 13 20 80, or 000 if anyone's life is at risk.
On farms and rural blocks, the poles and lines past your connection point often belong to you, not the network. See private power poles in NSW for who looks after what.
When the power comes back
Most of the time it comes back on and everything just works. A few things worth checking:
- If a safety switch trips the moment power returns, something on that circuit may have been damaged. Reset once, then call an electrician if it won't hold.
- Check the smoke alarms still work. Hardwired alarms have a battery backup, which may have been running during the outage.
- If any appliance smells hot, makes odd noises or won't start, unplug it and get it checked.
If you're worried about surges when the power drops and returns, see our guide to surge protection.
Been off for a long time? Six months or more
If a property has been de-energised for 6 months or more (an empty house, an old shed, a farm cottage), NSW rules require a qualified electrician to do a safety inspection before it's re-energised. The electrician completes an Electrical Installation Safety Inspection Certificate, which you give to your retailer. Call Nelson to book one.
Generators
If you're thinking of running a generator during outages, plugging appliances into it with leads is one thing. Connecting a generator into your house wiring is electrical wiring work, which needs a licensed electrician in NSW. Don't try to feed the house from a generator through a power point or any home-made lead. Ask Nelson about the safe way to set it up.
When to call NAF Electrical
Call us when the outage is only at your place and it's not the network, when a safety switch keeps tripping, when part of the house is dead, or when lights flicker or dim on their own. Fault finding is charged on time, so noting what tripped, when and what was running helps Nelson find it faster. Travel is free close to Wagga and charged further out. Call Nelson or send the job through for a written quote.
Nelson doesn't advertise 24/7 emergency call-outs. For anything dangerous (sparks, smoke, a burning smell, fallen lines), stay clear and call Essential Energy on 13 20 80, or 000 if anyone's life is at risk.
Common questions
Who do I call for a power outage in Wagga Wagga?
Essential Energy, on 13 20 80. They run the network across Wagga and the Riverina. You can also check outage information at essentialenergy.com.au/outages. Your electricity retailer doesn't repair outages.
My neighbours have power but I don't. What should I do?
Check your switchboard for a tripped safety switch, circuit breaker or main switch, and reset it once. If nothing has tripped, call Essential Energy on 13 20 80, as the fault may be on their side. If it's in your own wiring or switchboard, you'll need a licensed electrician.
Why does my safety switch trip when the power comes back on?
Often it's one appliance or circuit with a fault that shows up when everything starts at once. Unplug appliances on that circuit and reset once. If it still trips, call an electrician to find the fault.
Can an electrician replace my service fuse?
Only if they're an authorised Level 2 ASP. Under the NSW Service and Installation Rules, an ordinary licensed electrician must not work on the service fuse, meter or distributor seals. Call Essential Energy on 13 20 80 first.
Do I need an inspection before turning power back on at an empty property?
Yes, if it's been de-energised for 6 months or more. A qualified electrician must do a safety inspection first and complete an Electrical Installation Safety Inspection Certificate for your retailer.