I doubt that we will see much, if any, improvement in reliability in extreme weather.

There are many ways to improve reliability of local distribution, but I fear that any gains achieved thereby will be wiped out by an increase in severe weather events.

Current events underline my long held view that most rural and outer suburban homes should be equipped a NON ELECTRIC means of heating at least one room to at least 20 degrees, for at least two weeks without any re-supply.

A UPS should be considered with an extended run time battery, able to run basic lighting, internet router, and cordless phone base unit for at least 24 hours.

A NON ELECTRIC means of cooking a basic meal, possibly combined with the heating arrangements, otherwise a camping stove and fuel for two weeks use.

Non perishable food and bottled water for at least two weeks.

 Extra blankets and warm clothing.

More extensive preparations are well considering, but the above should be regarded as a prudent minimum. Consider not just extreme weather, but the risk of physical or cyber attacks on infrastructure. Or even war.

I am not sure if we are actually seeing more severe weather events, but we have greatly increased our sensitivity to them.

Properties are being built in places that were previously left empty because of the risks: flood plains, landslip areas, in forests where there are high fire risks, etc.

We are being driven to reduce our self-sufficiency. A non-electric heating system will be fossil fuel powered. A back up electricity supply will be fossil fuel powered, solar and battery will only go so far.

A simple land line phone connected to a central battery exchange was pretty reliable. Our current VOIP phones require a functional distributed electricity supply. Some cell phone masts do have back up generators but how well are they maintained and tested? Does someone go around and make a test run every week/month.

Shopping is also affected most big stores cannot sell without there computer/EFTPOS systems. Even if you have cash they won’t make a transaction.

I am not sure if we are actually seeing more severe weather events, but we have greatly increased our sensitivity to them.

Properties are being built in places that were previously left empty because of the risks: flood plains, landslip areas, in forests where there are high fire risks, etc.

We are being driven to reduce our self-sufficiency. A non-electric heating system will be fossil fuel powered. A back up electricity supply will be fossil fuel powered, solar and battery will only go so far.

A simple land line phone connected to a central battery exchange was pretty reliable. Our current VOIP phones require a functional distributed electricity supply. Some cell phone masts do have back up generators but how well are they maintained and tested? Does someone go around and make a test run every week/month.

Shopping is also affected most big stores cannot sell without there computer/EFTPOS systems. Even if you have cash they won’t make a transaction.

Roger B said:

A simple land line phone connected to a central battery exchange was pretty reliable.

Yes indeed. One should also have at least one wired in handset, but all that will change for us next year.

With just about everybody being glued to a mobile 'phone nowadays, land lines are probably redundant. Certainly, we receive very few calls that way nowadays.