If you or someone at your residence has a medical condition and relies on a continuous supply of electricity to run critical medical equipment such as an oxygen concentrator, a kidney dialysis machine or a ventilator, Essential Energy and your retailer need to know.
To register your premises as having Life Support equipment you will need to contact either Essential Energy or your retailer. To validate your Life Support registration, you will also be required to provide a medical confirmation form completed by a registered medical practitioner outlining the type of life support equipment that you or a person residing at your premises requires. Essential Energy and your retailer will advise each other of your Life Support registration. You will need to contact your retailer to apply for the NSW Life Support Rebate.
The following types of equipment have been classified as Life Support equipment:
- Oxygen concentrators
- Intermittent peritoneal dialysis machines
- Kidney dialysis machines
- Continuous positive airways pressure respirators
- Crigler najjar syndrome phototherapy equipment
- Ventilators for life support
- In relation to particular customers - any other equipment that a registered medical practitioner certifies is required for a person residing at the customer’s premises for life support.
When you contact Essential Energy or your retailer to register as requiring Life Support, we will:
- Register the premises as having life support equipment.
- Do everything we can to provide a safe and reliable electricity supply. Please note, registering as a Life Support customer does not guarantee continuous 24 hour power supply to the premises. We may need to interrupt supply for maintenance or upgrade works to ensure the safety and reliability of our network, or your supply may be affected by an unplanned interruption. We recommend you discuss an action plan with your doctor or medical service provider to help you deal with an interruption to your power supply.
- Unless we have obtained your explicit consent for a planned interruption occurring on a specified date, notify you in writing at least four business days prior to any planned interruption, giving you details of the date, time and duration the interruption is scheduled for.
If you contact Essential Energy to register as requiring Life Support we will also send you information on your Life Support registration including:
- The requirement to provide medical confirmation, what happens if medical confirmation is not provided, and the medical confirmation form
- Planned interruptions and the requirements on either your retailer or us to notify you of them
- Information to assist you prepare for unplanned interruptions
- An emergency contact number for Essential Energy
If you register through your retailer, they will send you this information.
It is important to keep your retailer and us informed of your current contact details, or if circumstances change regarding your life support equipment at your home.
If you have further questions about your Life Support registration please call Essential Energy on 132391.
To apply for the NSW Life Support Rebate, please contact your retailer.
For more Life Support information read our Frequently Asked Questions.
