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Q: Why do lights flicker? Is this OK?
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A: Lights flicker when there is a sudden change in the power level. It is quite infrequent,
but it can happen a lot during a strong storm. In some instances, lights flicker quite often when a large
load such as an air conditioner, elevator or a local portable heater kicks on. If that is the case, it is
advisable to contact a licensed electrician to check the circuits and rewire if necessary.
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Q: If my lights went off and then came back on a few seconds or a minute later do I have a problem that needs
to be fixed?
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A: A lot of disturbances in the electric system are temporary by nature (such as lightning).
CPS Energy has electric relays that automatically detect these outages and then restore power automatically.
There is nothing more that needs to be done at this point.
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Q: My lights have been off for a long time why has service not been restored:
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A: The only way that CPS Energy can know that your lights are off is if you have called in and reported it.
Sometimes there can be multiple outages on the same circuit due to multiple problems. Some people assume that
since a neighbor has called in that they do not need to call in. CPS Energy could end up fixing service to
other residences and not know that you have an outage also due to a different problem. It is important that
you call in and let us know you are out.
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Q: What are the most common causes of outages?
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A: Outages are most often caused by trees (especially during storms, high winds and ice storms yes
even in the San Antonio area), cars hitting utility poles, wildlife touching high voltage wires, or problems
with utility equipment. It is recommended that you keep handy flash lights, You might also want to keep a
phone that does not require utility power (a cell phone or hard wired type) so you can keep in communication
during power outages.
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Q: My lights have been off for more than 5 hours. Should I call back?
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A: CPS Energy tries to restore service as quickly as possible. Sometimes during major storms our resources
are stretched to its limits. Sometimes there can be multiple outages on the same circuit due to multiple problems.
CPS Energy restores problems affecting large number of customers first. In some cases, CPS Energy may end up fixing
service to other residences and not yours. It is a good idea to call back after 4 hours if you service is still off.
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Q: Why does my smoke detector alarm when the power goes off and comes back on.
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A: Some smoke alarms are powered by AC (alternating current) and use a battery back up. When these units
lose power momentarily they may chirp several times to inform you they are on back up power or are returning to
main power. For more information please contact the manufacturer’s documentation on your type of alarm.
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