Be Prepared for Outages
Gather Supplies
Electronics
- Fully charged cell phones, laptops and tablets.
- Car charger to charge devices if your power is out.
- Flashlight, portable radio and extra batteries.
- Hard-wired phone to report an outage or emergency. A plain, hard-wired phone can operate on power delivered through the phone line.
Warmth and Safety
- Extra blankets or a sleeping bag for each person.
- First-aid kit.
- Medications and other personal health items for each person.
Food and Water
- Emergency supply of bottled water and/or fill your bathtub with fresh water.
- Supply of convenience foods that do not require cooking. Don’t forget the can opener!
Know How to Report a Power Outage and Stay Informed
We may not know you are without power. Customers should always let us know if they are experiencing an outage, even if a neighbor has already reported it.
Online (Optimized for smart-phone view)
- Report your outage online.
- Log into your online account to view a status update on a reported outage.
- View current outages on our 24/7 Power Center outage maps.
- During significant storms, we will share updates on our social media accounts.
Text Messaging
- To report an outage: Text OUT to 544487 (LIGHTS).
- If you’re not enrolled in text messaging, text REG to 544487 to get started.
- To receive the latest update for your reported outage: Text STAT to 544487.
Telephone
To report an outage call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877).
Accessibility
Customers with a communication disability can report an outage using the appropriate TTY/TDD relay service, our online form or text messaging.
Preparation for Those with Electrically Operated Life-Support Equipment
Medical Support
If any member of your household depends on electrically operated life-support equipment, please contact us. We will send you a form that must be completed and signed by your physician every year to verify that you have life-support equipment.
When we receive your completed form, we will add your name to our Critical Care list. The list will be used during a power outage to contact all Critical Care customers by telephone if the outage may affect their electric service for more than 24 hours.
In addition, the list will be provided to county and municipal Offices of Emergency Management. There is no charge for this service.
In the event of a power outage, it's important that life-support customers have a contingency plan, such as a battery backup. We cannot guarantee faster power restoration for customers with medial needs.
