Board of Public Utilities Frequently Asked Questions
When you experience a power outage, report it by calling 1-844-427-8633. View those instructions HERE. Rest assured that our employees will work as quickly as possible to restore your electrical service.
In major outages, we may call for assistance from other neighboring utilities and contract crews. For this reason, you may see vehicles from other companies in your area helping to restore power.
If you have a portable generator, it should not be connected to any of the utility power lines or house wiring, unless it is equipped with a properly installed double-throw switch installed by a licensed electrician. Generators that are not installed properly can feed back in to our lines and may cause serious injury to anyone coming in contact with those wires.
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 or house wiring unless the service is 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.
If you see a downed power line it is important to stay away from it at all times and contact us immediately at 437-3387. Please do not try to remove anything that might be tangled in power lines.
If you or another family member depends on life support, and the loss of electricity affects these life support systems, you need to have a contingency plan in place.
Caregivers of in-home critical care patients should always have an evacuation plan or a plan for how to handle extended outages in the event of a natural disaster or severe storm.
During an outage we will have crews working on lines in your area. Many of these lines are along main roads and highways. For your safety and the safety of our crews, please drive slowly and be aware of our crew vehicles.
If your power is out you may see a utility vehicle drive by your house without stopping. There are several reasons why this might be the case. The crew may be en route to a location where immediate attention is required. they may need to inspect equipment along your main line before returning to your road, or they may need to return to the warehouse for additional supplies. Crews repair damage to parts of the system that bring power to the greatest number of customers first before handling problems at individual homes. Please know that we are making every effort to restore power to you as quickly as possible.
No. We cannot guarantee uninterrupted electrical service to your home or business. Events outside our control will prevent us from always having power at your location.
While the power is out, no electricity is being consumed, so your meter does not register any consumption for billing.
