The short answer
Look outside first. If the neighbours and street lights are off too, it's a network outage: check Western Power's outage list online or call 13 13 51. If it's only your home, go to the meter box and see whether the main switch or a safety switch has tripped. Reset it once with appliances unplugged. If it won't stay on, or nothing has tripped and you still have no power, that's when to call. Stay at least 8 metres from any fallen powerline.
Is it the street or just your house?
- Look at the neighbours and the street lights. If they're dark too, it's almost certainly an outage on Western Power's network, not a fault in your home.
- Check Western Power's outage list. Its outages page lists active, upcoming and resolved outages by area, and you can register for SMS updates. Planned work is listed there in advance.
- Report it if it isn't listed. Western Power takes outage reports on 13 13 51, 24 hours a day.
Western Power runs the network that supplies Busselton and most of the South West, from the poles and wires to the meter on your wall. Everything on your side of the meter, from the switchboard to the power points, is your installation, and that's what an electrician fixes.
If it's only your home: check the meter box
- Open the meter box and look at the switches. Find the main switch and the safety switches (the ones with a button marked T or Test). Look for any that are down or in the middle position.
- Unplug or switch off appliances on the affected part of the house, so nothing is connected when the power comes back.
- Reset the tripped switch once. Push it firmly to on. If it stays on, plug things back in one at a time to find anything faulty.
- Stop if it trips again with nothing plugged in. The fault is probably in the wiring or a fixed appliance. Leave it off and call a licensed electrician.
Don't take the cover off the switchboard or touch anything behind it. For a safety switch that keeps tripping, see safety switch keeps tripping. If your board still has ceramic fuses, a blown fuse is a job for an electrician: see ceramic fuses and old fuse boxes.
Western Power or an electrician?
Who to call when the power's off
| What you see | Likely cause | Who to call |
|---|---|---|
| Street lights and neighbours off too | Network outage | Check Western Power's outage list, or call 13 13 51 |
| Only your home off, nothing tripped | Could be the supply to your home or your installation | Western Power on 13 13 51 first; if the network is fine, a licensed electrician |
| A safety switch or main switch has tripped and won't reset | A fault in your wiring or an appliance | A licensed electrician |
| Some circuits off, one switch tripped | A fault on that circuit | Reset once; if it trips again, a licensed electrician |
| Fallen, sparking or low powerline | Network damage | Stay 8 m away. 000 if anyone's in danger, then 13 13 51 |
| A tingle or shock from a tap or appliance | An electrical fault | Western Power on 13 13 51, and a licensed electrician |
From Western Power's outage, powerline and incident reporting pages and Building and Energy's home safety guide, checked 12 October 2026.
Stay safe while it's off
- Assume any fallen powerline is live and keep at least 8 metres away, and keep others away too
- Switch appliances off, so nothing starts up unattended when the power returns
- Use a torch or battery lantern rather than candles
- Never run a portable generator indoors or in a garage, and never plug one into a power point or the switchboard to power the house. To run the house wiring from a generator, you need a generator changeover switch fitted by a licensed electrical contractor
- If you have solar, shut it down using the system's safe isolation procedure
Any electric shock, even a tingle from a tap, must be reported to Western Power on 13 13 51. Building and Energy says to stop using whatever gave you the shock and to get medical advice, because effects can show up later.
Storm season in the South West
DFES says storms are most frequent in WA's south west from May to October. It lists damaging winds, lightning and hail among the hazards, and says storms disrupt services such as electricity. Before a storm, switch off and unplug electrical equipment you don't need. After one, keep clear of damaged switchboards and fallen lines, and have a licensed electrician check any hard-wired appliance or fitting that got wet before it's used again.
Lightning can also send a surge through the wiring. For what surge protection can and can't do, see surge protection for South West homes.
Payments and claims after an outage
The $120 extended outage payment
Western Power pays a one-off $120 for a network outage lasting more than 12 consecutive hours. Claims must be made within 60 days. You can't claim if the outage was caused by your own installation or equipment.
Damaged appliances
Western Power considers damage claims where its own action or equipment caused the damage. It lists lightning, storms, wind and windborne debris among the events outside its control. Claims generally have to be made within a year, with receipts, quotes, repair reports and photos, and you should keep the damaged items until it's resolved. A licensed electrician's repair report can help.
Common questions
How do I check if there's a power outage in Busselton?
Western Power's outages page lists active, upcoming and resolved outages, and you can register for SMS updates. To report one, call Western Power on 13 13 51, 24 hours a day.
Why is my power off when the neighbours have power?
Usually because the main switch or a safety switch in your meter box has tripped. Unplug appliances and reset it once. If nothing has tripped, call Western Power on 13 13 51. If it trips again with nothing plugged in, call a licensed electrician.
Who do I call when the power is out in Busselton?
Western Power on 13 13 51 for outages, fallen lines and shocks; 000 if anyone is in danger. A licensed electrician for faults inside your home, such as a safety switch that won't stay on.
Can I get compensation for a power outage in WA?
Western Power pays $120 for a network outage over 12 consecutive hours, claimed within 60 days. Damage to appliances is assessed separately, and it lists lightning and storms among the events outside its control.
Should I turn appliances off during a power outage?
Yes. Switch them off or unplug them, so nothing starts up unattended when the power returns, and turn things back on one at a time.
Where this information comes from
The prices, rules and advice on this page come from these published pages, checked on 12 October 2026.
- Western Power: power outages · Network operator's live outage list, SMS alerts and fault line
- Western Power: outage FAQs · Network operator advice on checking safety switches after an outage
- Western Power: damaged powerlines · Network operator's safety advice
- Western Power: reporting incidents and emergencies · Network operator's list of what to report
- Western Power: extended outage payment · Network operator's $120 payment for outages over 12 hours
- Western Power: customer damage claims · Network operator's rules for claiming damage after an outage or surge
- Western Power: what we do · The network operator for the South West Interconnected System, Kalbarri to Albany and Kalgoorlie, which takes in Busselton
- Building and Energy: electrical safety at home · WA Government, warning signs and reporting shocks, updated 15 May 2025
- Energy Safe Victoria: what to do in a power outage · Victorian electrical safety regulator, reviewed 9 April 2024
- Electrical Safety Office Queensland: electrical safety during storms · Queensland electrical safety regulator
- DFES: storm · WA fire and emergency service storm information
