Power outages and emergency situations can happen with little warning. Weather, wildlife and other factors can interrupt service even when systems are well maintained. We work hard to be ready to respond, and we want to help you do the same.

Readiness starts long before there’s an outage. It involves some advance planning and taking steps to stay informed, but with a little effort we can all be more prepared.

How you can prepare at home

Having a plan in place can make a big difference when the lights go out or weather conditions change. Taking a little time to prepare can help you feel a little more confident and a little less stressed during an outage.

Create your emergency plan

Creating an emergency plan for your household is a great place to start. It should outline how family members will communicate, where to meet if separated and what steps to take during different types of emergencies. Plans should account for children, older adults, pets and anyone with medical or mobility needs. It’s helpful to review the plan at least once a year and update it as circumstances change.

Build an outage and emergency kit

The plan lets you know what to do, and an emergency kit gives you what you need to put it into action. Getting started is easy – you probably have lots of the essentials in your home already. Things like flashlights, a portable phone charger, a first-aid kit, extra batteries, a battery‑powered radio, bottled water, non‑perishable food, medications and blankets cover most of your needs.

It’s a good idea to keep your safety kit in an easy-to-carry accessible container. Make sure that everyone in your household knows where to find it. 

Stay informed

Information helps us make smarter decisions, and we want to help you stay informed before, during and after an outage or other emergency. 

Signing up for notifications is one of the simplest ways customers can stay connected. Notifications provide timely updates about outages, restoration progress and safety information through text or email. Keeping your contact information current helps us share accurate and timely updates when conditions change.

Image

How we prepare

Behind the scenes, preparation is part of our daily work. Our teams plan year-round to respond to emergencies and reduce the likelihood of outages when possible.

Maintaining our systems

Safety requires constant vigilance, and we’re always working to keep our system working properly. Trees and overgrown vegetation are a leading cause of outages during storms, but ongoing vegetation management programs help protect power lines and reduce risk. We perform comprehensive inspections on all our utility poles on a 10-year cycle, treating or replacing them as needed. Our electric operations teams patrol every line mile on our distribution and transmission systems every five years, and all sub-transmission and transmission lines are patrolled via helicopter at least annually to spot any potential problems.

On the natural gas side, we proactively work to replace pipe long before it nears end of life. We prioritize pipe upgrades based on factors like material, age, susceptibility to damage and location.

Preventing accidental line strikes is also a top priority when it comes to our natural gas system. We focus on awareness and prevention by educating contractors and maintaining accurate digital records of infrastructure to support safe digging practices.

Investing in the future

We invest in system reliability and grid strengthening to support long‑term performance. This means that we’re always upgrading equipment, replacing infrastructure and using technology to monitor system conditions. These investments help improve reliability, support faster restoration and increase safety for our customers, our teams and our communities. 

Fostering partnerships

Strong partnerships help improve preparedness across the regions we serve. We work with local emergency managers, first responders and community organizations to coordinate planning and response efforts. In many areas we facilitate or participate in local and regional emergency response drills and exercises and planning efforts. By fostering these partnerships and collaboration, we can improve coordination during actual emergencies.

A shared commitment to readiness

Preparedness works best when everyone plays a role. Customers who create plans, build kits and sign up for notifications are better equipped to handle disruptions. At the same time, we stay focused on maintaining infrastructure, training employees and working with partners to support safe and reliable service. Together, we can all be more prepared for severe weather, wildfire risks and whatever challenges come our way.

Outages can be challenging, but preparation helps reduce uncertainty. By planning ahead and staying informed, communities and customers can respond with confidence, knowing our crews will already be working to restore service safely.