This guide is written from the Electricity Authority’s page if you rely on electricity for medical reasons, read on 14 October 2026.
Register with your power company
If you, or someone in your home, relies on electricity to prevent serious harm to health (for example a home oxygen concentrator), tell your power company. It must help you register as a medically dependent consumer.
Your power company may ask a health practitioner to confirm this. Take the Confirmation of Medically Dependent Consumer Status form and your emergency plan to your doctor so they can sign the form and help with the plan.
Protection from disconnection
Your power company can’t disconnect you if it knows you or someone in your household:
- is registered as a medically dependent consumer
- is applying to register
- is disputing the power company’s decision on your status
You still have to pay your bills. The Authority advises choosing a postpay plan.
Power cuts still happen
Even if you are medically dependent, a constant supply can’t be guaranteed. The Authority says to:
- get an emergency response plan template from your power company
- make the plan with your healthcare providers and support people, and share it
- talk to your doctor about backup power for medical equipment
For CPAP, Health NZ Canterbury says that if the power goes off during the night, take the mask off and sleep without CPAP; the mask vents let you breathe room air. Restart when the power returns. See CPAP cleaning and troubleshooting.
For home oxygen funding, see funded home oxygen.