Outages · Guide

Power Failure in Singapore: SP Outage or Your Own Fault?

Person with a torch during a home power outage

The one question that matters: is it just you, or everyone? Whole block dark, nothing tripped in your DB box → supply outage, call SP Services 1800 778 8888. Only your flat, and your breakers tripped → internal fault, call a licensed electrician. Burning or sparks → main switch off, SCDF 995.

Check 1: are your neighbours affected?

Look out the window and into the common corridor. If neighbouring flats and the corridor lights are also dark, the fault is on the supply side, nothing you or an electrician can fix inside your flat. If everyone else has power and only you are out, the problem is almost certainly yours.

Check 2: your DB box

Open your DB box and look at the breakers. A tripped main switch, RCCB or MCB points firmly at an internal fault. If nothing has tripped but you still have no power, the supply into your flat may be the issue, which points back to SP rather than your wiring.

Check 3: the HDB corridor breaker

HDB flats have an emergency breaker at the common corridor, upstream of your DB box. If your flat is dark, this is worth checking too. Our HDB power trip guide shows where it is and how it fits the picture.

Who to call, by scenario

Supply outage (area dark, nothing tripped): SP Services, 1800 778 8888. Internal fault (your breakers tripped, one area dead): a licensed emergency electrician. Danger (burning smell, smoke, sparks): switch off the main and call SCDF on 995 before anything else.

During an outage: do and don’t

Do switch off and unplug sensitive electronics so they are not hit by a surge when power returns, and keep the fridge closed. Don’t repeatedly reset a breaker that will not hold, if it is an internal fault, that only makes it worse. Our power trip guide covers the safe reset routine.

Power out and not sure why?

Get help now

Power failure questions

What should I do immediately in a power failure?

Check whether it is just you or the whole area: look at your neighbours’ lights and the common corridor. Then check your DB box for tripped breakers. If your breakers are fine but you have no power, or the whole block is dark, it is a supply issue, call SP Services on 1800 778 8888. If your own breakers tripped, it is an internal fault for a licensed electrician.

Who do I call if my house has no electricity?

For a supply-side outage, whole block dark, or no power with nothing tripped in your DB box, call SP Services on 1800 778 8888. For a fault inside your unit, where your own breakers have tripped or one area is dead, call a licensed electrician. If you smell burning or see sparks, switch off the main and call SCDF on 995.

How do I report a power outage in Singapore?

Supply outages are handled by SP Group. Call the SP Services line on 1800 778 8888 to report a loss of supply and check whether it is a known area fault. For faults confined to your own flat, there is nothing to report to SP, that is internal and needs an electrician.

How can I tell if it’s a supply outage or my own fault?

Three quick checks. One: are your neighbours affected too? Widespread dark means supply. Two: has anything tripped in your DB box? Tripped breakers mean an internal fault. Three: check the HDB corridor breaker. If the area is fine and your breakers tripped, the problem is inside your flat.

Can I flush the toilet if the power is out?

In most Singapore homes, yes, mains water pressure is independent of your electricity, so standard toilets and taps still work during a power failure. The exception is anything that relies on an electric pump or an instant water heater, which will not run without power.

How long does a power outage last in Singapore?

Supply outages are usually short, SP works to restore supply quickly, and widespread failures are rare here. If your power is out far longer than the surrounding area, that is a sign the fault is yours rather than the grid’s, and worth having an electrician check.