WHAT SHOULD YOU DO DURING A POWER OUTAGE?
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How to Keep Food Safe
Generator Safety
 
  • Report your outage by reporting it online with your smart phone or tablet or by calling (210) 353-HELP (4357) to ensure that we are aware of your outage promptly.
  • Update alert preferences through Manage My Account to stay informed on the status of your power outage.
  • Be prepared. Keep cell phones, flashlights, batteries and other important items available for an unexpected power outage.
  • Stay informed. Check our outage map for current outage updates. Also, follow our Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) sites for status updates. If possible, seek local TV or radio station weather reports.
  • Stay away from downed power lines and report them to CPS Energy. Do NOT attempt to move or drive over the lines. Even in an outage, power lines may still have an electrical current running through them.
    • If your home or business is flooded, never enter standing water unless you’re absolutely sure the main power has been shut off.
  • Unplug electrical equipment such as stereos, TVs and computer equipment to help protect them from power surges during power restoration.
  • Turn off breakers to larger items such as water heaters, air conditioning/heating units, to reduce the risk of overloading the electrical grid as power is restored, delaying power restoration efforts.
  • Turn around, don’t drown. Any time you come to a flooded road, whether driving or walking, avoid the area and move to safer ground. Do not drive around barriers!
  • Keep the refrigerator door closed as much as possible. Refrigerated food should be safe as long as power is out no more than 4 hours.  
    • If it looks like the power outage will be for more than 2-4 hours, pack perishable items (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products and leftovers) into a cooler surrounded by ice. Discard any perishable foods that have been above 40 °F for more than 2 hours. See How to Keep Food Safe (FDA).
  • Do NOT attempt to assist emergency and utility crews. Electricity can be dangerous. If you really want to help recovery and clean-up efforts, contact your local Red Cross to see where help is most needed.
  • If your neighbors have power and you do not, check your breakers. Tripped breakers account for 15% of our service calls.