Power Outages
If you are experiencing an outage, please e-mail our staff (or our answering service after hours) at outage@franklinpud.com with your name, address and phone number so that we may call out crews to fix the problem.
We take great pride in providing our customers with safe, reliable electric service. Still, outages sometimes happen. Weather, equipment failure, accidents, birds, and animals are the major causes of power outages.
Here are some tips to help you through a power outage:
- Check to see if your circuit breakers are tripped. If so, attempt to reset your breakers.
- Check to see if your neighbor has power.
- Call the PUD to report the outage at (509) 542-5300 or 800-638-7701 or e-mail us at outage@franklinpud.com.
Please note that several customers may be calling in at the same time to report an outage, resulting in a busy signal. You can be assured that our crews are being dispatched to the site and working hard to restore power as soon as possible. - Turn off any appliances, heating/air conditioning, stoves, and ovens. Turn these units back on gradually after power is restored.
- Unplug any sensitive electronic equipment such as televisions, computers, and stereos that may be damaged by voltage fluctuations.
- Keep flashlights and fresh batteries in predetermined places.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
- Leave one light on so you'll know when power comes back on.
- Dress warmly if the outage occurs during cold weather. Be very careful with portable heaters, make sure you have proper ventilation.
- Have a backup plan if you rely on life-sustaining equipment.
- If you see a power line on the ground, stay away and call 911.
Generator Safety When the Lights Go Out
Your safety during a power outage – and at all times – is important to us. Generators can pose a risk if not used properly.
To avoid electrical hazards:
- Keep the generator dry.
- Operate on a dry surface under an open, canopy-like structure. Dry your hands before touching the generator.
- Plug appliances directly into generator or use a heavy-duty outdoor-rated extension cord.
- Make sure entire extension cord is free of cuts or tears and the plug has all 3 prongs, especially a grounding pin.
- NEVER plug the generator into a wall outlet. This practice, known as “backfeeding”, can cause an electrocution risk to utility workers and others served by the same utility transformer.
Please know that our line crews will work to restore your power as safely and quickly as possible.