Downed powerlines can kill.
Always treat powerlines and poles as live and stay at least 10m away - that's a bus length.
If you see downed powerlines, don’t go near them - it could be a lifesaver. Stay safe by keeping at least 10m away.
Call us on 0800 27 27 27 or call 111
Fallen lines
- All fallen lines should be treated as live
- Keep yourself, other people and animals at least 10m away from the line
- Stay away from trees or cars touching lines
- Do not try to rescue people or animals trapped by lines until they have been made safe
Vehicles and lines
- If a power line falls onto a car it may still be live and liven the car
- Do not try to rescue people from cars trapped by fallen lines
- Stay inside the car until help arrives and the line has been made safe
- If you are in danger and must exit the car, jump clear of the car keeping your feet together when you land. Do not touch the ground and the car at the same time. Once clear of the vehicle, shuffle away, keeping your feet together until you are at least 10 metres away
How we respond
Learn what we do when lines are down to keep you and our field crews safe.Electrical safety at home
Earth pegs
Your earth peg is an important part of your building's electrical safety system. It ensures that any electrical faults inside the building go into the ground, keeping the people inside safe from serious shocks. Never touch your earth peg.
Earth pegs are usually near your electricity meter. If your earth peg is damaged or worn contact an electrician to ensure it's safe.
Pillar boxes
If you're connected to our network by underground cable rather than overhead line, you'll have a pillar box on your boundary or roadside.Never touch your pillar box
If your pillar box is damaged or in a location where it could be damaged (by a car for instance), contact us for an assessment.
Protecting your equipment
We do our best but when power surges happen they can damage appliances. Use surge protectors to protect your appliances, such as computers, televisions and whiteware. If you experience a power surge, switch appliances off at the wall.If a power surge affects your appliances or internal wiring, contact your retailer (the company you pay your power bill to).
Safety around our assets on your property
Follow all safety or hazard notices displayed on our assets.
- Don’t touch assets.
- Don’t do anything that may damage assets.
- Keep trees at least 4m away from overhead lines.
- Don’t build or construct anything too close to assets.
Planning to do work around our assets
If you plan to do work near the Powerco equipment on your property, it’s essential that you or your contractors are working safely. Find out more about safety when working around electricity or gas equipment. Contractor safety
Contact us
Contact us if you have concerns about the condition of Powerco-owned assets on your property, or if you feel it is becoming a hazard.
Electricity emergency FAQs
Always treat low hanging power lines (those lower than 3m off the ground or a large truck height) as live and extremely dangerous. Call Powerco's 24/7 emergency line - 0800 27 27 27. Do not walk or drive under low lines.
Always treat fallen power lines as live and extremely dangerous. Stay at least 10ms away (about the length of a bus) and keep others, including animals, away as well. Do not attempt to move or touch the line. Call Powerco's 24/7 emergency line - 0800 27 27 27 or dial 111 for emergencies.
No. If a power line falls onto a vehicle, the line may still be live, and the vehicle could be energised. Do not approach or attempt to rescue occupants. Instruct them to stay inside the vehicle until help arrives. If they must exit due to immediate danger (like fire), they should jump clear without touching the car and ground simultaneously, landing with feet together, and shuffle away keeping feet together until at least 10m away.
- Always assume downed lines are live.
- Maintain a distance of at least 10m.
- Keep people and animals away.
- Avoid touching trees or vehicles in contact with the lines.
- Do not attempt rescues; wait for professionals.
An earth peg is a part of your building's electrical safety system. It directs electrical faults into the ground, preventing serious shocks. Earth pegs are usually located near your electricity meter. Never touch your earth peg. If your earth peg looks damaged or worn, contact a qualified electrician to check it.
Pillar boxes connect properties to underground power lines. Never touch a pillar box, especially if it's damaged or in a vulnerable location (eg, near driveways). If you notice any damage, contact us.
Use surge protectors for appliances like computers and televisions. If a power surge occurs, switch off appliances at the wall. If your appliances or internal wiring are affected by a power surge, contact your electricity retailer (the company you pay your power bill to) for help.
If a tree on your property is within 4m of a power line, it's your responsibility to keep it clear. Working near power lines is dangerous. Any tree within 4m of lines must be trimmed by an approved contractor. The contractor will provide you with a quote and can let you know how to get a temporary power isolation (disconnection) to your property so they can work safely.
For electricity emergencies, such as fallen power lines or other immediate hazards, call Powerco's 24/7 emergency line - 0800 27 27 27 or dial 111. Avoid using apps or online platforms to report emergencies, as this can delay response times.
Call Powerco's 24/7 emergency line - 0800 27 27 27 immediately. Damaged infrastructure can be dangerous and requires urgent attention.
Call Powerco's 24/7 emergency line 0800 27 27 27 immediately. Damaged infrastructure can be dangerous and requires urgent attention.
Yes. You may need a temporary disconnection, a close proximity consent, or we may need to send someone to your site to check that you’re working safely. Learn more about working safely near our assets.
An underground locating technician will be able to locate your service cable for you.
Visit beforeUdig – they’re a free online service and can provide plans of where services are located underground. If you’re working near underground cables and pipes you’ll need to let us know. Learn more about working safely near our assets.
Contact an electrician to work on your service line. Your electrician will need to organise an approved contractor to temporarily disconnect your line so they can do the work safely.
Find out more about working around our assets safely