During An Outage

Restoration Plan

In the event of a major storm we have storm procedures in place and our employees know their assignments in the event that management puts the procedures into action. As part of our on-going operations we continuously monitor weather patterns that may affect our service area and alert employees when possible to take the necessary precautions.

In the aftermath of a major storm, we implement a pre-determined service restoration plan which emphasizes safety and efficiency. The plan has two basic elements. Our first priority is safety. Repair resources are assigned to the most critical areas to make them safe for the general public as well as for our employees to continue working. It is important to know that for the safety of our repair crews, efforts to restore electric service may be suspended if the weather is determined unsafe.

Our second priority is to restore power in the most efficient manner. The restoration work will continue by repairing power lines that restore power in the shortest period of time to the largest number of customers possible. This occurs before our crews begin the more time consuming task of restoring service to individual homes and businesses.

We ask that you please remain patient in the event that you power following a major storm. Depending on the damage inflicted on the electric distribution system your power could be out for an extended period of time. Please be assured that we will work around the clock to restore your power.

For your safety and the safety of our crews, please be aware of all service vehicles parked along roadways and service repair sites. In the event you have any outage questions or would like to report downed lines please notify our call center. Directing these issues to a service lineman at a repair site will slow the restoration process.

Safety Tips -- Generator Safety

If you plan to use a portable generator, here are some important safety precautions:

• Read all instructions carefully and follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
• First, never run your generator indoors or in your garage. Generators should only be run in a well-ventilated area. Gasoline-powered generators produce carbon monoxide and the fumes can be deadly if there is not adequate ventilation.
• Second, plug appliances directly into the generator using heavy duty, properly grounded extension cords.
• Make sure that extension cords are not frayed or worn.
• Limit the electrical load placed on the generator to no more than the recommended wattage.
• Do not connect your power generator directly to your home's main fuse box or circuit panel.
• Use the generator only when necessary.
• Portable generators should not be connected to any of the utility power lines unless equipped with a double-throw switch properly installed by a licensed electrician. Generators that are not isolated or installed properly can feed back in to our lines and may cause serious injury to anyone coming in contact with those wires.
• Turn the generator off at night while you sleep and when you are away from home.

If you have any questions about how to properly use a portable electric generator, contact the manufacturer or a licensed electrician for assistance.