South Australians can now benefit from a new compensation scheme available to residential and small business customers using less than 160 MWh of electricity annually.
The Small Claims Scheme is designed to make it easier to claim for property damage caused by power supply issues, without needing to demonstrate that SA Power Networks is at fault.
The Scheme covers eligible claims for voltage-related damage stemming from a failure in SA Power Networks’ infrastructure, provided that the failure is not caused by:
• lightning, storm, earthquake, flood, fire or another natural event;
• a third party, or property of a third party, damaging the electricity infrastructure; or
• fauna or flora coming into contact with the electricity infrastructure.
Claims must be between $100 and $15,000, and compensation is limited to tangible property damage (not including personal injury, economic loss, or damage to intangible assets). Importantly, the Scheme also allows claims for historical incidents occurring as far back as 1 July 2022, provided they’re lodged by 13 March 2027.
This initiative offers a low-cost, streamlined alternative to legal action and is part of broader efforts to enhance fairness and transparency for small energy users. It is important to note that, once a claim is accepted under the Small Claims Scheme, no further claims can be made for that incident, so businesses with larger or more complex losses may still wish to pursue other options.
Find out if your business and the type of incident or loss is eligible, and how to lodge a claim by visiting the SA Power Networks Small Claims Scheme webpage.
