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What Is Load Shedding?
What Is Load Shedding?
Written by
Rachel Gregg
Edited by
Andrew Kemp
Reviewed by
Julia PaszkaCompare Electricity & Gas Plans
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What is load shedding?
Long story short
Load shedding helps prevent bigger power outages
It’s a controlled, short-term power reduction across different areas in an energy network to stop the entire grid from crashing.
Load shedding kicks in when demand outweighs supply
Extreme heat, storms, or sudden generator failures can push the grid too far, so shedding helps steady the system and prevents bigger damage from happening.
Affected areas rotate so the impact’s shared
Most homes will have reduced power for anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours, with essential services like hospitals protected wherever possible.
What is load shedding?
Load shedding is a rolling blackout (when electricity supply is deliberately reduced) across certain areas due to extreme network pressure. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) plans these supply reductions, which might last for up to a couple of hours, to help avoid longer, more widespread power cuts. It’s a last resort measure that helps balance out demand/supply flows and stop full-scale outages.
Unlike a regular electricity network fault or blackout, load shedding is planned. Random accidents are usually behind network faults and blackouts that affect localised areas, while load shedding is a managed response to predicted and unexpected supply issues. While load shedding incidents are pretty rare, understanding how they work can make it far less stressful if you do experience one.
Why does load shedding happen?
Load shedding can be triggered by a range of planned and unplanned events. The common thread is when demand suddenly outruns power supply it leaves the grid with little room to breathe. Contributing factors can include:
- Extreme weather events like heatwaves, bushfires, floods, and storms
- Power plant or infrastructure outages
- Gas-fired power plants running low on fuel
Each of these circumstances can break the delicate balance between supply and demand. Load shedding fixes this by bringing demand back in line with what generators can safely handle, preventing a worse scenario from unfolding.
How does load shedding work?
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) decides how much supply must be reduced and for how long, with local distributors then responsible for deciding where within a network the load shedding will happen.
This process of reducing supplying (manual load shedding) involves manually switching off feeders, which are the lines that supply power from substations to a network area. This will happen in stages, or rotation shedding, so different neighbourhoods share in the blackouts rather than a single area being stuck alone for hours on end. Once supply stabilises or demand falls, electricity will be return to normal.
AEMO is responsible for keeping the National Electricity Market (NEM) secure across NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, ACT, and South Australia and the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) in Western Australia.
How are areas chosen for load shedding?
When it comes to what areas are selected for power shedding, there’s no singling out; instead, distributors work to spread the impact evenly across a network area.
Extra caution is also taken to make sure that hospitals, central business districts, and public transport aren’t affected. Distributors will also try to minimise impacts on nursing homes, where electricity can be dependent on the health of residents.
Helpful tip
Just because you live near a major hospital doesn’t mean you’ll automatically dodge a load-shedding event. When warnings are issued, make sure you’re prepared with charged batteries for torches and phones. If you’re experiencing a load-shedding event during a heatwave, try to pre-cool your home as much as possible. Once the supply is reduced, you may need to rely on fans until electricity returns to normal.
Julia Paszka
General Manager – Utilities & Credit Cards
How will I know if my power will be turned off?
In the rare event that load shedding is expected, distributors will usually update their websites to highlight the affected areas. Most distributors will also send an SMS if your home is likely to be affected, giving you some time to charge up those batteries and get the candles ready.
How long will load shedding last?
Homes affected by load shedding could see their electricity reduced for anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. After that two-hour mark, your distributor will likely shift the load-shedding area to another neighbourhood. This rotation will continue until demand falls or electricity generation supply recovers.
What do I do if my area is impacted?
If your area is picked for load shedding, you might have power during amid rolling blackouts. In that case avoid using non-essential appliances like pool pumps, washing machines, and dishwashers. Put them off until the evening, when electricity demand has eased. Switch to a fan until your home’s energy supply returns to normal or drop your aircon’s temperature to 24°C to reduce strain on the grid.
Also consider turning off all power points, light switches, and appliances to reduce demand and protect your home from surges when power does return.
If you or someone you live with relies on life support, it’s important to make sure you have an emergency plan in place in case of electricity interruptions. Make sure you’re registered with your energy provider to receive messages from your distributor.
Will load shedding impact hospitals or critical infrastructure?
Distributors try to avoid including major hospitals during a load-shedding event since electricity is crucial to patient healthcare and safety. Many hospitals will have their own dedicated feeder line or backup generators so they can continue to operate independently with their own available supply.
Other critical infrastructure, like public transport or central business districts, are also considered priority hubs and also are avoided where possible during load shedding events.
Make sure your energy plan stays one step ahead of the grid
Load shedding might be rare but understanding how the system works can better prepare you for when demand hits sky-high levels. While load shedding itself is largely outside household control, how you use and pay for energy isn’t. If you want a better understanding of your energy usage or just want to check how your plan stacks up, comparing could help you stay on top of the power in your home. With iSelect you can compare online from a range of providers and plans with our online tool, or if you prefer to chat to a real person, you can call our energy comparison experts on 1800 664 532.
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