How to prepare for a power outage, and what to do in one
The short answer
To prepare for a power outage (power cut), official bodies say to keep a torch (flashlight) with spare batteries, a radio that runs on batteries, a charged power bank, some cash, and food that needs no cooking.
When the power goes off, check whether it is a power cut or a fault in your own home, and report it to your network operator or utility. Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed, unplug electronics, and keep generators, camp stoves and barbecues outdoors, away from windows.
How long food keeps in a closed fridge and freezer differs by country, and so does the rule for when to throw it away. The tables under food in the fridge and freezer show each country in its own row.
What to do in a power cut
- Check whether it is a power cut or a fault in your own home. Look at your fuse box or electrical panel, and ask your neighbours.
- Report it to your network operator or utility, and ask how wide the outage is. The table below shows who to call.
- Switch off or unplug appliances and electronics. A surge when the power returns can damage them, and Energy Safe Victoria says an appliance left on could start a fire if the power comes back while nobody is home. The Government of Ontario says to leave the refrigerator and freezer on.
- Leave one light switched on, so that you know when the power is back.
- Use a torch or a battery lantern for light.
- Eat food that needs no cooking. Ready.gov says that you can eat commercially canned food straight from the can, with no warming.
- Keep generators, camp stoves, barbecues and charcoal grills outdoors. Ready.gov in the United States, the Government of Ontario and Energy Safe Victoria each say not to use them indoors: Ready.gov and Ontario name generators, camp stoves and charcoal grills or barbecues, and Energy Safe Victoria names portable generators. Ready.gov says to keep a generator away from windows too, and Energy Safe Victoria says not to use one in an enclosed area such as a garage or tent.
- Keep warm with blankets and layers. If the heat or cold is extreme, Ready.gov says to go to a community place that has power.
- Check on neighbours, most of all those who are elderly, very ill or disabled.
| Country | Official body | Who to call |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Not covered by the sources we list | |
| United Kingdom | Be Ready; Powercut 105 | Report it on your network operator's website. If you cannot report it online, call 105 in England, Scotland and Wales: the call is free and connects you with your local network operator. In Northern Ireland, call 03457 643643. |
| Canada | Government of Ontario | Report the outage to your utility service provider, and ask how wide it is. |
| Australia | Energy Safe Victoria | The electricity supply company that owns the poles and wires to your home restores the power. The Energy Safe Victoria page lists the phone numbers of the supply companies in Victoria. |
| New Zealand | Not covered by the sources we list | |
| Ireland | ESB Networks | Call 1800 372 999 or +353 21 2382410. Keep this number and your MPRN in a safe place. |
| India | Not covered by the sources we list |
Where a row is not covered by the sources we list, ask your electricity company.
Power outage: food in the fridge and freezer
Ready.gov in the United States and Be Ready in the United Kingdom say to keep the fridge and freezer doors closed. Get Ready in New Zealand also gives an order for eating: food from the fridge first, then the freezer.
| Country | Official body | Closed fridge | Closed freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Ready.gov | About four hours. | About 48 hours for a full freezer. |
| United Kingdom | Food Standards Agency; National Grid | Food Standards Agency (England, Northern Ireland and Wales): up to 4 hours. | Food Standards Agency (England, Northern Ireland and Wales): a full freezer, up to 48 hours; a half-full one, 24 hours. It calls these times estimates. National Grid, a network operator, gives a shorter time: up to 12 hours. |
| Canada | Health Canada; Government of Ontario | Health Canada: about 4 hours if it stays unopened. Government of Ontario: 4 hours. | Health Canada: about 48 hours for a full freezer, about 24 hours for a half-full one. Government of Ontario: 2 days for a full freezer, 1 day for a half-full one. |
| Australia | WA Department of Health (Western Australia) | Food in the refrigerator stays safe for 2 hours. Throw the food out after more than 4 hours. | With the door kept shut: up to 48 hours for a full freezer, 24 hours for a half-full one. |
| New Zealand | No figure in the sources we list | No figure in the sources we list | |
| Ireland | safefood | About 4 hours if unopened. | About 24 hours if unopened. |
| India | No figure in the sources we list | No figure in the sources we list |
The rule for when to throw food away, and what can be frozen again, also differs. The Food Standards Agency (England, Northern Ireland and Wales) suggests a fridge thermometer, to show whether the fridge has got too warm.
| Country | Official body | When to throw food away | What can be frozen again |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Ready.gov | Throw food out once its temperature is 40°F or higher. The same holds for food that has spent two hours or more at 40°F or above, and for food with an unusual odour, colour or texture. | Not covered by the sources we list |
| United Kingdom | Food Standards Agency | Food Standards Agency (England, Northern Ireland and Wales): a power cut of less than 4 hours is unlikely to affect the safety of chilled or frozen food. Chilled foods need to be kept below 8°C. They include foods with a use-by date, foods that say 'keep refrigerated' on the label, and leftovers. If the fridge has reached 8°C or above, discard these foods after 4 hours, unless the power is back within 4 hours. | Not covered by the sources we list |
| Canada | Health Canada; Government of Ontario | Health Canada: throw away any food that was at room temperature for 2 hours or longer. When in doubt, throw it out. | Health Canada and the Government of Ontario: you can freeze food again if it still has ice crystals in it or feels as cold as a fridge. |
| Australia | WA Department of Health (Western Australia) | Food from a fridge or esky that has been above 5°C: use it at once if that lasted over 2 hours and under 4 hours. Throw it out if it lasted 4 hours or more. | Food that has partly or fully defrosted but is still very cold (5°C or less) can be refrozen. |
| New Zealand | Not covered by the sources we list | Not covered by the sources we list | |
| Ireland | safefood | After 4 hours without power, use perishable foods immediately or throw them out. | After a power cut of more than 24 hours: once the power returns, check each food before you decide to refreeze or discard it. |
| India | Not covered by the sources we list | Not covered by the sources we list |
How to prepare for a power outage
The UK Government says most power cuts are short and local, but that longer and wider ones can happen. It also points out how much of a home stops with the power: gas ovens, boilers, heat pumps and home internet.
Ready.gov in the United States suggests a simple first step: list the things you need that rely on electricity. Then plan another power source for them, such as batteries or a power bank.
- Find your fuse box and trip switches now, so that you can check your own electrics. ESB Networks in Ireland advises this.
- Write your network's fault number on paper and keep it in a safe place.
- Check your home phone. National Grid in Britain says digital and cordless phones may not work in a power cut.
- Keep phones charged as a habit. The Governments of Alberta and of the Australian Capital Territory both say this.
- Keep some food that needs no fridge and no cooking. Our non-perishable food list gives each country's list and its number of days.
- Plan how you will charge a phone. See how to charge a phone without electricity.
Power outage checklist
These are items that the official pages we list name. You may own most of them already.
Torch (flashlight) and spare batteries
The UK Government says torches are safer than candles. Ready.gov says to have one for every household member, and Get Ready in New Zealand says everyone should know where the torches and batteries are.
Battery, wind-up or solar radio
A radio brings news and alerts when the internet and television are off.
Power bank
National Grid suggests a power bank or solar charger to keep a mobile phone topped up. ESB Networks adds that you may be able to charge a phone in the car.
Cash
Card payments and cash machines can stop in a power cut, so official bodies in the United Kingdom and New Zealand suggest keeping some cash at home.
Food that needs no cooking
Get Ready in New Zealand suggests a stock of food that does not need to be cooked, or a way to cook it such as a gas barbecue or camp stove.
Blankets and warm layers
The UK Government says to keep warm with blankets and layered clothing.
Medical devices that need power
If someone at home uses a medical device that needs electricity, official bodies give advice of these kinds: tell your electricity company, and make a plan with your doctor or care team before a power cut happens. Not every body says both.
| Country | Official body | Tell your electricity company | Plan with your doctor or care team |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | FDA; Ready.gov | FDA: tell your electric company and your fire department that you have a medical device that needs power. | Ready.gov: ask your medical provider to help you plan for a power outage, for electric medical devices and for refrigerated medicines. |
| United Kingdom | Be Ready | If you are eligible, join your energy supplier's Priority Service Register, so that it knows you need extra support in a power cut. | Make a plan now with your care provider or clinical care team about what will happen in a power cut. |
| Canada | Government of Alberta | Not covered by the sources we list | Ask your health care provider how to manage a medical condition, a device or a refrigerated medication when the power is off. |
| Australia | ACT Government (Australian Capital Territory) | Tell your electric company about your medical device. | Speak with your doctor about what could happen to medical equipment and medicines if you lose power. |
| New Zealand | Get Ready; Electricity Authority | Get Ready: ask your power company to register you as a medically dependent consumer. Electricity Authority: even then, a constant power supply cannot always be guaranteed. | Electricity Authority: talk to your doctor about backup power for any medical equipment you use. |
| Ireland | ESB Networks | Tell your electricity supplier. It registers you as a customer with medical needs and informs ESB Networks. | ESB Networks: agree a back-up plan with your healthcare team. |
| India | Not covered by the sources we list | Not covered by the sources we list |
Registering does not promise you power, so a backup plan still matters. The planner linked at the end of this guide helps you work out how long a power bank may last for the devices you list.
What to do when the power comes back
- Turn the essentials back on first. The Governments of Ontario and Alberta both say this.
- Check the food in your fridge and freezer against your country's row in the tables above.
- Check the settings on any medical device. The FDA says to make sure that they have not changed.
- Think about what worked and what did not, and change your plan for next time.
Put it in your plan
Your kit plan lists the light and warmth items for your household. The planner shows how long a power bank may last for the devices you choose.
Sources
Every official page that this guide uses, by country. Each link opens in a new tab.
United States
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (Ready.gov), Food (opens in a new tab). Page date: 12 March 2026. Read 12 November 2026.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (Ready.gov), Power Outages (opens in a new tab). Page date: 4 June 2026. Read 12 November 2026.
- Food and Drug Administration, FDA Offers Tips about Medical Devices and Natural Disasters (opens in a new tab). Page date: 16 April 2024. Read 12 November 2026.
United Kingdom
- UK government, Be Ready campaign, Get prepared for emergencies (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
- UK Government (Be Ready campaign), Power cuts (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
- Food Standards Agency, Food safety in a power cut: advice for consumers (opens in a new tab). Page date: 26 July 2023. Read 12 November 2026.
- National Grid Electricity Distribution, What to do during a power cut (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
- National Grid Electricity Distribution, Being prepared (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
- Energy Networks Association (Powercut 105), Powercut 105 (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
Canada
- Health Canada, Food and drinking water safety in an emergency (opens in a new tab). Page date: 8 May 2026. Read 12 November 2026 in a browser.
- Ontario: Government of Ontario, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Power outages and blackouts (opens in a new tab). Page date: 10 June 2024, updated 10 November 2026. Read 12 November 2026.
- Alberta: Government of Alberta, Power outages (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
Australia
- Western Australia: Government of Western Australia, Department of Health (HealthyWA), The power is off - is your food? (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
- Australian Capital Territory: ACT Government, Justice and Community Safety Directorate, Power outages (opens in a new tab). Page date: 1 July 2026. Read 12 November 2026.
- Victoria: Energy Safe Victoria, Power outages and energy safety (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
New Zealand
- National Emergency Management Agency (Get Ready), No power (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
- Electricity Authority, If you rely on electricity for medical reasons (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
Ireland
- ESB Networks, Outages safety advice (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
- safefood, Food safety in emergencies (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
- ESB Networks, Vulnerable customers (opens in a new tab). Read 12 November 2026.
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