Outage Center

Get text or email alerts about power outages (plus other alerts like when your bill is ready) in the free PVREA app. Or report outages in your online account.

In the App

• Download our app.
• Click on the Settings icon.
• Click on the Service tab.
• Choose which cell phone and/or email address you want to receive notifications on. You can add contacts under Manage Contacts.

Sign Up Online

• Sign in to your online account.
• Click on Notifications in the menu.
• Click on Manage Notifications.
• Click on the Service tab.
• Choose which cell phone and/or email address you want to receive notifications on. You can add contacts under Manage Contacts.

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

In some areas of our service territory, lineworkers 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 reroute power without dispatching crews to the field and the outage duration is shorter.

We provide updates the best we can on our automated outage phone system and text or email alert system as new information becomes available. Members can also get outage alerts in the PVREA app. In large outage situations, we post information on our social media accounts and this webpage.

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 out of power. This will help you determine if the problem exists within your home, or on our system.

If you determine the problem is outside your home, report your outage to us through the PVREA app, in your online account, or by calling us. 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.

It depends upon the cause of the outage. Remember to please 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, they may receive electrical service from a different power line or substation. It also depends upon the fusing of the particular power line your home is fed from.

We maintain a list of members who have medical equipment that requires electricity. We 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 our list by calling us.

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 energy backup plan. The plan could include arrangements to move to an alternative location, use a portable generator and/or installation of a battery backup.

Have an emergency kit on-hand so you are ready for any emergency. Include items like a portable radio, batteries, corded phone, flashlight, medical supplies including any needed medications, food, water, and extra clothing. Store this kit in a designated place so it is easy to find.

More preparation and outage safety information can be found in our online blog section.

A lightning strike or downed power line can send a surge of electricity through your home, potentially damaging electrical appliances. Computers, TVs, and other electronic equipment are expensive investments that are worth protecting from storm-related damage. Surge protectors can be bought at many retail stores to defend you against power spikes and surges.

More preparation and outage safety information can be found in our online blog section.

A generator can be a wonderful tool during an outage, especially if you have special medical needs and require electricity 24/7. But, they can also be extremely dangerous to lineworkers and yourself if used improperly.

Be aware that it is 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 may endanger service crews, our lineworkers, and others who are helping to restore power in your area.

We most likely know due to the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) in our electric grid which automatically relays information from your smart meter back to us.

You can still call in or report your outage online or through the app. Please do not assume that someone else has reported your outage or that we are aware of your service interruption, report it to be safe.

Our outage restoration process begins at the point where power feeds into our system. This could be at a substation, transmission line, or a main distribution line. After these repairs are made, our 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 member’s home.

If you see a PVREA truck pass by and not stop, 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.

During these types of situations, we activate our call center to receive all our members’ calls and log them into our outage management system.

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, while frozen food can remain safe for two days. Learn more about food safety in a power outage situation by viewing the American Red Cross’ Food Safety webpage.

Consider all downed wires to be energized, regardless of whether or not they may appear to be safe. It’s hard to identify power lines from other utility lines, and impossible to tell by visual inspection if a power line is energized. Energy may transfer to objects the wires are in contact with, so remain at least 10 feet away. Report the fallen utility line to us immediately. Make sure your children, pets, and neighbors stay away from the wires and any objects it may be touching.