Outage Center | Consumers Energy (2024)

FAQs

How do you respond to a power outage? ›

Outages typically last 1-2 hours.

If that happens and you have lost power for a continuous 96-hour period, you will get: Residential customers: A base credit of $38 on your bill. AFTER the base credit, you will get a $38 credit for every continuous 24 hour-period without power until service is restored.

The power went out. There is a power outage. There is a power failure. The power is Off.

Can I Shower When the Power Is Out? To shower when the power is out, your home needs a traditional tank-style water heater. If that water heater still has hot water in reserve, then you can take a warm shower. If you plan to take a shower, you need to do it soon after the power goes out.

Televisions, computer equipment, game consoles, fans, lights and all other smaller appliances should be unplugged, especially if they were in use when the power went out. Larger appliances, such as refrigerators, should not be unplugged.

Almost one-quarter of 2022 power outages occurred in California. The state of California also came in first for the most power outages overall in the last 20 years: 2,684.

As the USDA notes in Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power.

Can you flush the toilet when the power is out? ›

Depending on the amount of water remaining in the pipes, you might be able to flush your toilet several times while the power is out. Eventually, however, your tank won't fill up anymore because the pumps are down. When this happens, you will need to flush your toilet manually by pouring in a bucket of water.

American polymath Benjamin Franklin is most credited for discovering electricity in 1752.

In 2022, California accounted for 24% of all U.S. power outages, and Texas accounted for 14%. California, Texas, and Pennsylvania are the states most affected by power outages during the winter.

For claims related to food loss, you'll need to provide an itemized list of all the spoiled food, with receipts or other documentation of what everything cost. Here's how to file a claim with Southern California Edison online, and information on how to file it using other methods. You can also call (800) 655-4555.

Verify that the power is off by placing the voltmeter on the two output points at the bottom of the circuit breaker. The voltmeter will show that there is no voltage if the light does not light up.

Walkie talkies or multi-pack handheld radios may be an option to communicate short distances. Satellite phones are an expensive but reliable way to communicate when power is out and can be purchased online.

One of the first things you should do during a power outage is unplug any appliances or electronics to avoid power surge damage once the power is restored. Sensitive devices should be on surge protectors to prevent damage if you can't unplug them in time.

We are writing to inform you of a temporary power outage that has affected our [facility/area/community] as of [date and time of the outage]. We understand the inconvenience and challenges that a lack of power can cause, and we want to assure you that we are taking immediate steps to address this issue.