It's the first thing you should do when your power is out. When there's an outage, you can report by:
Based on your outage timeline, follow our tips below to make sure you're safe and prepared during an outage.
You can also monitor our restoration efforts in your area by visiting our outage map.
| Outage Length | Outage Tips |
| 1 - 2 hours | Turn on a single light to be alerted when power is restored and check the status of your outage. |
| 2 - 4 hours | Use food safety by keeping the doors of your refrigerator and freezer shut as much as possible as this will help maintain the cold temperature. |
| 4 - 8 hours | Think about how you'll keep your mobile device charged. A laptop or car charger can help. Coffee shops and community centers are also good places to charge devices. |
| 8 - 12 hours | Food in your refrigerator after eight hours begins to spoil and may no longer be safe, so you should pack food into a cooler surrounded by ice. |
| 12 + hours | Check on elderly and vulnerable neighbors if your outage is lasting longer than 12 hours. |
The mast will either be on your roof, or on the side of your home. If your mast has been damaged during a storm, you will need to contact an electrician for repairs before we can reconnect your service. It is possible that we may be able to provide you a temporary connection until your electrician can come out to fix it. For a temporary connection, your city may require an inspection. For more information on mast damage, head to our Mast Damage page.
You can receive your estimated restoration time (ERT) three different ways:
An ERT is the amount of time we expect it will take to restore your power after an outage. Storm ERTs are based on conditions and damage to our infrastructure. Planned and unexpected outages rely on historical data for ERTs. Get more information on ERTs here.
When your power goes out, our crews will be working 24/7 to get the power back on. Power is restored to the most critical areas are first, like hospitals. Our crews then restore power in order of getting the most customers back on the fastest.
Stay up-to-date on the status of your outage by signing up for outage notifications. When you sign up for notifications, you will receive updates as changes happen. You can sign up for notifications or update your notifications by logging into My Account or by using our quick notification sign up.
You can easily report your outage and view and search outage information with the mobile app.
During large outages, we provide updates on social media.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), food safety is directly related to the temperature of the food. For that reason, it is important to maintain refrigerator and freezer temperatures throughout an outage. Visit our Outage Safety page to learn more about what you can do during an outage.
It is crucial that you take proper safety measures during an outage. Please take the following precautions when your power is out:
If you come across a downed power line, leave the area and report it immediately by calling 800-895-1999. Never approach a downed power line. Always assume that they are energized and extremely dangerous. Touching a live line or anything near it, such as a fence, puddle, car, etc., can cause electrocution. This could result in serious injury and even death.
If a power line has fallen onto a vehicle, stay away and seek help right away by calling 911. If you are in the vehicle, wait inside the vehicle until help arrives. You are safe from electrical shock as long as you stay inside the vehicle. If you must leave the vehicle due to fire or other life-threatening reasons, leap clear of the vehicle, landing with both feet together. Don't hold the door while leaping and once on the ground, hop or shuffle away – do not run.
Turn off appliances and other electrical equipment, including air conditioning, to avoid a high load on the system once electricity is restored. Leave one light switch turned, on so you’ll know when power has been restored.
If you need to cook during an outage, use a properly vented fireplace, a camp stove, or a can of Sterno. Be sure that there is adequate ventilation and never use charcoal indoors. If you have a natural gas stove or oven without an electric ignition, you can use that as well.
If you are someone who uses electrically powered life support equipment, you may need to seek medical assistance or relocate to a location with electricity. In any emergency, always dial 911.
If your outage occurs during hot, summer months, the elderly or those susceptible to the effects of extreme heat should go to an alternate location to stay cool.
Make sure to regularly change the air filters on your HVAC system (at least once per month). Old, clogged filters are far less efficient than new ones.
Always call 811 before digging in your yard to avoid hitting buried gas or electric lines. Not only is it the safe thing to do, but it's the law.
© 2020 Xcel Energy Inc. All rights reserved.
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