In the remote community of Amoonguna, Nicholas Kunoth walks nearly six hours to ensure his partner Judy Peters has access to life-saving insulin stored in a functioning refrigerator. The couple lives 20 kilometers from Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, where their home relies on prepaid electricity. "I take water and a shirt to cover my head because of the heat. It's really hard without a car and no power on a really hot day," Kunoth said. Their power was disconnected previously, requiring them to purchase credit from a local shop. Although a new plan was implemented to prevent disconnections for medical reasons, the couple now faces a debt exceeding $1,000 to their power provider. "Looking at the debt, it rises and rises," Kunoth explained. Approximately 65,000 customers in the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Far North Queensland, and South Australia are on government-mandated prepaid power plans. A recent report titled "The Right to Power — Keeping First Nations' communities connected on prepayment" revealed that nearly 9,000 households experience frequent disconnections, which negatively impact health and economic participation. In the Northern Territory, households face between 41 to 59 disconnections annually, while Western Australia sees 33 and South Australia 14. Disconnections double during extreme heat, exceeding 39.5 degrees Celsius. "Food goes rotten, can't keep the fridge on, it's off. I'm too scared to take my meds warmer. It'll be hot and no air-conditioning," Peters said, expressing her frustration. Community members shared their struggles with senior researcher Vanessa Davis, a Western Arrernte woman from Amoonguna. "It broke my heart listening to it, hearing them, but I have to be strong to take it all in," Davis said. She noted that many vulnerable individuals, including those with chronic illnesses, are particularly affected by power insecurity. Minnie Joseph, a resident of the Karnte Town Camp for over 30 years, reported monthly power bills exceeding $400 last summer. She sometimes relies on family for financial assistance. "If there's no money, I just sleep on the verandah till the next day or the pay day, going two to three days without power," Joseph said. Managing prepaid plans can be challenging for customers. Many rely on in-store top-ups due to limited access to phone services and functional apps. "When we lose our power cards, we have to go into town and get a new card. Some people don't know how to activate a card. It's hard for them, like old people don't know how to use it or don't know how to top up," Joseph added. The report highlighted successful prepaid models in South Australia that combine prepayment with renewable energy sources, offering discounted tariffs. Co-author Lauren Mellor noted that many prepaid customers miss out on financial hardship support available to those on billed plans. "At the moment, an Australian energy customer in hardship will be identified by their retailer. They'll be offered support and they'll be offered debt relief, even up to $500 in credit as a buffer against disconnection," Mellor said. In response to the report, a spokesperson from Power and Water, a prepaid supplier in the Northern Territory, stated that First Nations customers can now access a dedicated helpline to better understand power usage and manage their meters. The report will be presented in Parliament House in Canberra, with researchers urging the federal government to create a priority services register and enhance protections against disconnections during extreme heat. "When temperatures rise and it's a forecasted day of 40 degrees, the meters can actually be programmed to prevent disconnection in that window, and that would avoid and mitigate some of the worst harms that we're seeing of prepayment during extreme temperatures," Mellor said. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen acknowledged the report and expressed commitment to working with communities for better energy deals. As summer approaches, residents are finding ways to cope with the heat. For Joseph and her grandchildren, relief comes from cooling down under the hose. "Kids cry, it's so hot, and they turn on the tap to wet themselves all day," she said. With soaring temperatures on the horizon, the challenges of energy access remain a pressing concern for these communities.