During an Outage

During cold weather outages, turn off all electric heaters, water heaters, and cooking equipment.

When power is restored, turn them back on one at a time, in 15-minute intervals. This step helps prevent overloading of the electric system when power is restored, which can cause more outages.

This will let our repair crews know when your service has been restored. Leave a lamp on inside your home so you’ll know also.

Unplug your electronic equipment, and turn off electric furnaces and water heaters at the breaker. This will help prevent overloading the system when the power is restored, which can cause secondary outages. When the power comes back on, turn items on at the breaker one at a time, in 30-minute intervals.

Turn off and unplug items such as:

• DVD players and VCRs
• Refrigerators and freezers
• Laundry machines
• Stereos
• TV sets
• Microwave Ovens

If you have access to a generator, operate it safely. We recommend using a GenerLink transfer switch, which automatically disconnects your home from the power grid and connects it to your generator in an outage. Call (503) 397-8155 to speak with our Energy Experts for more information.

If the power goes out during cold weather, follow these guidelines to keep warm:

• Gather everyone in one room where there is an alternative heat source such as a wood stove.
• Dress in loose layers of clothing.
• If the temperature in your home drops below 55°F, open faucets slightly so they constantly drip to prevent water pipes from freezing.
• Never leave candles unattended. Keep them secure and away from small children and animals.
• Never use a gas range for room heating.
• Never use charcoal to heat or cook indoors.
• Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids to start a fire. Always keep a screen around a fireplace, and don’t close the damper while ashes are still hot.
• Remember, a fuel-burning heater, such as a kerosene heater, requires proper ventilation to prevent buildup of harmful fumes.

• Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
  • Your refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened.
• Food will stay frozen for about 2 days in a full freezer; 1 day in a freezer that is less than half full.
  • It helps to cover freezers with blankets and quilts.
  • Keep the door closed and use dry ice to keep food frozen.
• Buy dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period.
  • 50 pounds of dry ice should keep an 18 cubic foot, fully-stocked freezer cold for 2 days.
  • Wear gloves when handling dry ice, and place it on cardboard in the freezer rather than directly on food packages.
• Food may be refrozen if it still contains some ice crystals. If in doubt, throw it out.
• Use a thermometer in your refrigerator.
  • Remember pork, poultry, fish, and ground meat spoil quickly at room temperature above 40 degrees.
  • Other foods that spoil quickly include: custards, creamed foods, or any food containing mayonnaise.

FoodSafety.gov provides detailed instructions on keeping food safe during outages.