Outage Tips

Electric service is one of the most reliable services yous tin can purchase. PSREC works very hard to minimize power outages through many preventative maintenance programs.

From time to time, PSREC'due south system requires maintenance that may outcome in a scheduled and planned outage. We try to program these at times when there volition exist the least amount of inconvenience. When possible, members will be notified in advance of the planned outages to further minimize inconvenience.

But there are times when an unplanned ability interruption will occur. PSREC cannot command the weather or prevent unforeseen events. You can be sure that we are set to serve you apace and efficiently in the event of a ability interruption.

Illustration titled Power Outage Priorities: (A) Transmission lines and substation facilities that carry large power loads are repaired first. (B) Next, major distribution lines are repaired to restore power to essential services. (C) Other distribution lines then are repaired, with the order of repairs based on restoring power to the greatest number of customers possible. (D) Finally, power is restored to individual homes. If the problem is in the house wiring, responsibility for the repair may fall the the consumer.

Keep the following information in mind should an unplanned power outage occur.

Prepare for power outages

Planning ahead for unexpected power outages can help make the best of a bad situation. Equip your dwelling house with a ability outage kit that includes:

  • A flashlight, battery powered lamp or lantern, and extra batteries
  • Candles and matches
  • A battery-powered radio with extra batteries
  • Hands accessible emergency phone numbers for your utility, md, fire and police
  • A telephone continued directly to the phone jack. Cordless phones demand electricity to operate
  • Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothes
  • A one week supply of drinking water and non-perishable food
  • A cooler for storing frequently used foods. Food spoils more rapidly if the refrigerator door is opened
  • A transmission can opener
  • An alternative cooking source
  • Firewood, if y'all have a fireplace or woodstove
  • A deck of cards, lath games and books to stay entertained

If someone in your home depends on electrical-powered, life-sustaining equipment, make a programme for backup power.

Please install surge protectors on any sensitive electronics and appliances. Exist sure to buy surge protectors that have a warranty for your connected load.

Is your concern prepared for an unexpected power outage?

Beingness prepared for a ability outage can help keep your business functioning.

  • Have a response program, and make sure employees know what to do if there is an outage
  • Place electrical panels and know how to plough off ability, particularly to key equipment
  • Install and maintain emergency lighting

Look at your essential business organisation equipment and functions. Estimate the financial touch on of losing power to those operations. Compare this to the price of a fill-in power system to determine if information technology is a viable selection.

Protect Your Equipment

Before an outage:

  • Cash registers/POS — have a backup option that does not require electricity
  • Computers — apply practiced quality surge protectors and use uninterruptible power supplies to prevent data loss

During an outage:

  • Safety — do not operate machinery if ventilation, fire suppression or other safety systems are not functioning
  • Refrigeration — to preserve food, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed during an outage
  • Unplug — protect sensitive electronics that do not have surge protectors past unplugging them

What to do if the ability goes out

Check your fuses and circuit breakers. If some of your lights piece of work, the trouble is probably on your side of the meter and yous should contact an electrician.

Note if your neighbors are also without power. It is benign for u.s. to know if several members are out of service.

Note the gauge time the ability went off.

Study outages to PSREC. Our service personnel are prepared to serve you 7 days a calendar week, 24 hours a day, including holidays.

During a major power outage our telephone lines can go very busy; delight be patient and call back if yous receive a busy signal. Nosotros will respond as promptly as possible to any service interruption phone call nosotros receive. In cases of a major power outage, information technology can accept some time to restore power to all customers. Your patience and agreement are deeply appreciated.

How members can help during an outage

  • As before long every bit lights showtime to flicker, plow everything off except for one light
  • Protect sensitive electronics by unplugging them at the wall
  • Turn off breakers to large heating or cooling loads
  • Keep refrigeration units closed as much as possible to retain cold air

During a ability outage, please disconnect all nonessential electrical loads. Every low-cal and appliance turned off will help PSREC re-energize more of our system. If our power transmission system is constrained, conservation helps keep our electric system stable and enables u.s.a. to serve both you and your neighbors.

As power is restored, delight conserve. Leave off all non-essential loads until PSREC returns to its main ability source. Nosotros volition provide confirmation through various communication channels listed below under Outage Updates.

Generators

Some members use an electric generator as a standby system to keep lights and appliances running until power is restored.

Illustration of an electric generatorA generator can help save nutrient in your refrigerator and power other essential equipment, but information technology can too pose serious safety hazards to y'all and to others, so please follow all safety instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Before starting your generator, carefully read and follow all of the manufacturer's instructions. Be sure that the total electric load on your generator volition not exceed the manufacturer's rating. Always place your generator where its frazzle will vent safely.

The constabulary requires that members with a permanently installed or portable generator exercise not connect it to some other power source, such as PSREC'south power lines. If yous ain and operate a generator, you are responsible for making sure that electricity from your unit of measurement cannot "backfeed," or menstruation into PSREC's ability lines. For safety's sake, be certain to use your generator correctly; hire a licensed electrician to install a transfer switch that distributes power from the generator to your domicile'southward excursion box. A double-pole, double-throw transfer switch is recommended to keep your generator from backfeeding into PSREC'due south organization. The switch also keeps PSREC'south power from re-energizing your business firm while your generator is running, protecting your equipment when power is restored.

If you practice not install and operate your generator properly, you risk damaging your property and endangering your life and the lives of PSREC line workers who may be working on power lines. Y'all are responsible for whatever injuries or impairment to your holding, your neighbors' or PSREC'south, from an improperly installed or operated generator.

Life Support Equipment

If someone in your home depends on electric-powered, life-sustaining equipment, brand a plan for backup ability.

PSREC'southward Life Line Plan flags accounts in the system for special notification of individuals who rely on electricity for life back up or special medical equipment.

If you or someone in your home has special medical equipment, delight contact the PSREC role during normal business hours and ask to be put on the Life Line List. Please provide united states with a land line or cell phone number as wireless phones do not piece of work without electricity.

Members on the Life Line Listing volition be contacted if there are whatsoever planned outages on the arrangement that might effect their service. All PSREC members, including those on the Life Line Listing, are expected to pay their bills in a timely way to avoid disconnection of service.

Outage Updates

PSREC sends outage information via text, e-mail and social media. To sign upwardly for text notifications, login to SmartHub and prepare your notification preferences. Through the SmartHub app, you tin can report outages, and view the latest outage information on PSREC's outage map. View PSREC's online outage map.