Prepare for an Outage

We're Ready, Are You?

At Newfoundland Power, we are committed to providing our customers with safe and reliable electricity service. Unfortunately power outages do sometimes happen. When they do, our employees are committed to restoring power quickly and safely, 24 hours a day, in all kinds of weather. By following this advice, you will be better prepared to deal with an outage to prevent personal injury and/or damage to your equipment or facilities.

Getting Prepared

It is always a good idea to be prepared in case a power outage occurs. Here are some good tips on how to prepare:

1. Emergency kit: Keep the following in a convenient place: flashlights with extra batteries, matches, candles with holders, a battery powered or windup radio, and extra fuses for your electricity panel.
2. Life support equipment: People dependent upon life support equipment should always have a backup power supply available and have it checked and tested regularly. Arrangements should also be made with a family member or friend for transportation to a hospital where emergency power is available.
3. Water and food: If your water supply is dependent on electricity, store several clean containers with water for drinking. If there is a danger of freezing, drain water lines, and put non-toxic antifreeze in the toilet, sink traps and floor drains. Keep non-perishable food items and a can opener in a convenient place. Do not open the refrigerator or freezer unless it is necessary.
4. Lighting and heating: Use candles for room lighting and flashlights for moving around. Never leave small children or pets alone in a room with a lit candle. Keep doors and drapes closed. If you have a wood stove or fireplace, light it before the house cools down. Don’t use camp stoves, barbecues or kerosene heaters indoors because they produce poisonous fumes.
5. Portable or back-up generators: Do not plug a portable generator into the wiring system of a home or building. This action could result in serious injury to utility workers. Plug individual appliances directly into the portable generator. Download our Portable Generator Safety Brochure for more information.
6. Outage Alerts: Register for our Outage Alerts service and we’ll keep you informed via text or email about what’s happening with the electricity system in your neighbourhood. Don’t wait for an outage to occur, sign up now.

When An Outage Occurs

1. Check lights in your home to see if they are working, and check to see if your neighbours have power. If others still have power, it may be a tripped breaker or a blown fuse that has caused the outage.
2. If there are no lights on in the neighbourhood, please report your outage online or call Newfoundland Power's outage reporting service (1-800-474-5711) to receive outage information, or to report downed wires, trees or broken poles.
3. To avoid damage to your appliances and equipment, and to reduce the load on the electricity system when power is restored, we recommend you:
• unplug all electronic equipment and appliances such as TVs, computers, microwaves and stereo equipment;
• turn off your range, washer, dryer and water heater;
• turn your thermostats to the lowest setting or switch them off; and
• keep only one light on to let you know when power has been restored.
4. If your basement floods, do not enter unless you are sure the water is not in contact with any source of electricity such as an appliance or heater, electrical outlet or extension cord. Call an electrician to disconnect the power before entering if you are unsure. Never touch a circuit breaker with wet hands or while standing on a wet floor.

When Power Is Restored

1. Wait 15 minutes before turning up thermostats. For individually controlled heaters, turn them on one at a time over a 30- to 60-minute period.
2. Turn off any standby heating.
3. Wait at least 15 minutes before turning on your electronic equipment and appliances.
4. Flush toilets, sinks and floor drains if you used any antifreeze during the outage.
5. If flooding occurred, have an electrician check your electricity system before turning the power back on.
6. Restock any emergency supplies used during the outage.