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How we restore power

How long will it take?

An estimated restoration time is the amount of time we expect it will take to restore your power after an outage.

When you report an outage, we initially set estimated restoration times to about three hours from the time of the first outage report. This timeframe is based on average restoration times in our area and for our system. Once our crews arrive on the scene, we refine the estimated restoration time based on the damage and estimated time to repair.

Restoration times will occasionally show on our outage maps as "Assessing" when we are unable to provide an estimated time of restoration. This typically happens in severe weather when our crews are not able to give accurate estimated restoration times because of the extent of the damage and number of repairs required.

In big storms, we have additional crews ready from other locations to help restore power.

How can I track progress?

You can track restoration progress in several ways:

Our outage restoration process

Restoration steps

  1. Pinpoint the outage and formulate solutions to restore power.
  2. Dispatch crew closest with the right type of equipment.
  3. Assess conditions for public and crew safety and develop a restoration plan.
  4. Patrol lines and check substations.
  5. Clear downed power lines.
  6. Restore power to the greatest number of people as quickly as possible through transmission lines that serve hundreds of substations.
  7. Restore power to substations that convert high-voltage power to levels people can safely use at home.
  8. Restore power to concentrated areas through distribution lines and tap lines. Distribution lines travel from the substations to neighborhoods and serve between 1,000 and 3,000 customers. Tap lines then feed into pockets of 20 to 30 homes.
  9. Restore power to individual (typically suburban or rural) homes and businesses. This task usually takes the longest.