Bold truth: extreme heat isn’t just a weather headline—it’s forcing people to choose between electricity and food. And this is the part most people miss: when the power goes out or becomes unaffordable, the consequences ripple through every part of daily life.
Vanessa Napaltjari Davis, an Arrernte and Luritja woman, lives in Nyewente (Trucking Yards), one of Alice Springs’ 18 town camps. Her small two-bedroom home relies on a single air conditioner, but since summer began, the house often loses power as the prepaid electricity smart meter runs out of credit. She and her grandchildren have endured extreme heat, including more than 40 days above 40°C in the southern Northern Territory. Each week she typically tops up about $70, but the heat has shrunk that buffer to just two or three days’ worth of electricity.
This isn’t just one family’s struggle. Across the NT and neighboring states, more than 65,000 Aboriginal people depend on prepaid electricity. A 2025 study by Original Power, a First Nations energy justice group, reveals that these households average 49 disconnections per year—roughly one a week—due to unaffordable bills. The climate crisis is intensifying the problem: hotter summers drive more electricity use for cooling, while paychecks often stay the same, forcing painful trade-offs.
Davis explains the heart of the dilemma in practical terms: she needs power to keep the fridge running so food stays safe, but without electricity, food spoils and everyone faces hunger until the next payday. She notes, “What’s more important, the electricity or food? But to us, they are both important.” The choice is rarely simple: keeping the lights and fridge on means less money left for meals; skimp on top-ups means cold rooms and ruined groceries—so the cycle repeats.
In concrete numbers, Davis shares her recent bills. From winter through spring, she spent about $1,331.12 (June–August) and $920.64 (September–November). December and January have added up to $663.97 so far, yet power has been disconnected more than four times each month because topping up isn’t affordable.
Jacana Energy, the NT’s main electricity retailer, says prices are regulated and subsidised by the Northern Territory Government. They point out that consumption climbs during heatwaves, which shortens prepaid credit life, but the tariff itself remains unchanged. They emphasize that disconnections occur only when prepaid credit is exhausted and can be restored with a top-up. The company highlights safeguards like emergency credit, friendly credit periods, and the Stay Connected hardship program.
The health toll of extreme heat is severe. Heatwaves are a leading cause of weather-related hospital admissions and deaths in Australia, and in the NT, poor housing stock compounds risks for Aboriginal communities. Dr. Simon Quilty, a long-time NT physician who collaborates with housing groups like Wilya Janta, notes a sharp uptick in hospital cases during the hottest months, tracing the spike to housing quality and cooling challenges that keep people trapped in dangerous conditions.
Original Power has pressed for policy changes. Their six recommendations include banning disconnections on days when temperatures hit 40°C or higher. Yet progress is slow. Lauren Mellor, co-director of Original Power’s clean energy communities program, argues that governments are dragging their feet and urges a trial to suspend disconnections during extreme heat. She emphasizes that the combination of substandard housing and dependence on box air-conditioners drives higher energy use and costs for prepaid customers.
On the policy front, the federal government says it remains committed to collaborating with First Nations communities to tackle energy poverty and support the clean energy transition in remote areas, while thanking Original Power for its work. The NT government has launched consumer education campaigns—tips for reducing power use, keeping meters topped up, and using emergency credit—and is running information stalls in remote communities about concession schemes and power-saving practices. They also note that, despite its challenges, prepayment meters can offer benefits such as greater household control and flexibility for shared living arrangements.
The situation underlines a broader question: should protection from disconnection take priority over strict billing rules on dangerously hot days? As climate risks rise, the answer could shape how energy systems support the most vulnerable communities. What do you think: should utilities pause disconnections in extreme heat, even if it costs more in the short term? How would you balance reliable power with affordable food and housing in remote communities? Share your perspective in the comments.
