After hours and during widespread outage situations, PVREA will activate our call center to receive hundreds of member calls. This call center allows us to take hundreds of member calls during a large outage, and logs it in our outage management system.

Each outage is a result of different circumstances, and some may take longer to identify and restore than others. Oftentimes, our linemen are working in severe weather and at night, and unable to report back to the office very often. As a result, outage restoration information may not be immediately available.

In some areas of our service territory, linemen must physically walk through remote mountain territory to investigate the cause of an outage, which can be time consuming. In other instances, system operators are able to quickly re-route power without dispatching crews to the field and the outage is a shorter duration. PVREA provides updates the best we can on our automated outage phone system and updates them with new information as it becomes available. In large outage situations, PVREA posts information on our Facebook, Twitter and website. 

Probably, but still call in or report your outage through SmartHub. PVREA monitors our electric system and often knows about outages on distribution circuits, power lines and substations, but we do not always know about outages impacting just a few members. To ensure we are aware of your outage, please call PVREA at 1-800-432-1012, or login to SmartHub to report your outage. Please do not assume that someone else has reported your outage. By letting us know when you experience an outage, you help our crews restore your service more quickly.

Before calling to report an outage, check your home’s breaker panel and any outdoor disconnects to make sure the outage is not due to a tripped breaker. Check to see if your neighbors are also out of power. This will help you determine if the problem exists within your home, or on PVREA’s system. If you determine the problem is outside your home, report your outage to PVREA. You will need the following information available when you call: account number or phone number on the account and any details related to the outage. Please let us know if you heard a loud bang, saw damaged equipment or if your neighbors have power, but you do not.

The outage restoration process begins at the point where power feeds into PVREA's system. This could be at a substation, transmission line or a main distribution line. After these repairs have been made, crews work on remaining outages and correct the trouble, beginning with areas serving the greatest number of members and continuing until electricity is restored to each members' home.

If you see a PVREA truck passing but not stopping, it is because work must first be performed at a nearby location or device before electric service can be restored to your home. Following the outage restoration process ensures all members have their power restored as quickly and safely as possible.

It depends upon the cause of the outage. Remember to check and make sure your power is not out because of an electrical problem inside your home, such as a tripped breaker. If your neighbor has electricity and you do not, more than likely, they receive their electricity from a different power line or substation. It also depends upon the fusing of the particular power line your home is fed from. 

PVREA maintains a list of members who have medical equipment that requires electricity. PVREA will give members with special medical needs priority in the restoration of their electric service whenever it is reasonably possible to do so. If you have a special medical need, you can apply to get added to this list by calling PVREA at 1-800-432-1012.

It is important to remember that extensive damage to our electric system could take numerous hours, or even several days, to completely repair. Members who must have electricity should be prepared with an emergency backup plan. The plan could include arrangements to move to an alternative location, use of a portable generator and/or installation of a battery backup on important electrical devices.

Consider all fallen wires to be energized, regardless of whether or not they appear to be safe. Report the fallen power line to PVREA immediately. Make sure your children, pets and neighbors stay away from the power line and any objects it may be touching.

PVREA recommends having an emergency kit on hand so you are ready for any emergency. Include items like a portable radio, batteries, corded phone and a flashlight. Store this kit in a designated place so it is easy to find. How do I protect appliances in my house? A lighting strike or downed power line can send a surge of electricity through your home, potentially damaging appliances. Computers, TVs and other electronic equipment are expensive investments that are worthy of protecting from storm-related damage. Surge protectors you can purchase at many retail stores in the area provide a defense against power spikes and surges. 

To minimize the loss of food during a power outage, limit the number of times you open your refrigerator or freezer door. If the doors remain closed, refrigerated food can remain safely cold for about four hours; frozen food can remain safe for two days if the freezer is full and the doors remain closed. Learn more about food safety in a power outage by viewing the American Red Cross’s Food Safety web page.

A generator can be a wonderful tool during an outage, especially if you have special medical needs and require electricity. But, it can also be extremely dangerous if used improperly. Be aware that it’s against the law, and a violation of electrical codes, to connect a generator to your home’s electrical circuits without a generator transfer switch automatic-interrupt device. Otherwise, if a generator is online when electrical service is restored, it can become a major fire hazard. In addition, the improper connection of a generator to your home’s electrical circuits may endanger service crews helping to restore power in your area. Read more generator safety tips here.