Frequently Asked Questions

Outage Center FAQs

Do I need to call the PUD to report my outage?

Yes. Your call helps us determine the extent and location of the outage. Please call (503) 397-1844 to report outages.

Can you tell me when my power will come back on?

We avoid giving outage restoration estimates. Many different factors influence the amount of time it takes to restore power, including weather conditions, accessibility to damaged power lines and safety issues. These factors make it difficult for us to accurately predict how long it may take to restore your power.

My lights blinked off but came back on. Do I need to report the outage?

Probably not. If your lights blink off once or twice but then come back on, you don’t need to call us unless they are noticeably more dim when they come back on.

Why is my power out when my neighbor’s power is on?

We know it can be frustrating and confusing to see that your neighbors have power when you don’t. There are several reasons this might happen:

  • You may be on a different distribution line or transformer than your neighbors.
  • There may be damage to your service line that must be repaired before your power is restored.
  • There may be damage to the electrical wiring in your home that must be repaired before power is restored.

How does the PUD decide whose power to restore first?

When a storm causes multiple outages, we prioritize repairs to get the largest number of customers back on first. Read more about how we restore power.

Why did that PUD truck drive by without stopping?

During storm restoration, our crews sometimes drive through our service area to patrol lines and assess damage, and to determine whether it is safe to restore power to customers.