electricity

Power Outage Map

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Outage Tips

We do our best to avoid interruptions to your electrical service. However, sometimes the lights go off. While we're working quickly to restore your power, you can rely on these tips to see you through the outage.

  • What to do in a power outage?
    • Determine whether the power failure is limited to your home. If your neighbour's power is still on, check your main electric panel and breaker to make sure it wasn’t a blown/tripped fuse. Move any tripped switches to the ‘off’ position and then to the ‘on’ position. If it is an outage. Check our outage map or the My ATCO Electricity app to see if the outage has been reported and for live updates. 

    -  If the outage hasn't been reported, complete this online form  or call 1 800 668 5506. It may be hard to get through due to other customers also reporting power interruptions, so we thank you for your patience.

    • Keep freezers and refrigerators closed.
    • If you have a home generator, use it ONLY outdoors and away from windows. If your generator is connecting to your electrical panel, ensure you use a rated transfer device to prevent back feed into the power system. 
    • Do not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
    • Disconnect appliances and electronics to minimize risk and to avoid damage from electrical surges.
    • Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices.
    • Preserve heat, where possible. Close blinds and drapes and avoid opening doors to keep heat from escaping. 
    • Check with your local officials about cooling locations open near you.
  • Why does the power go out?

    The power can go out for a number of reasons including:

    • Extreme weather: Most power outages are caused by severe weather. Strong winds can topple trees onto power lines. Lightning may strike power poles, lines or other equipment. Freezing rain, heavy snow or frost can build up on lines and break or damage them.
    • Construction and vehicle accidents: Another common cause of outages is accidental contact, including underground or overhead power lines at construction sites, and vehicle accidents with power poles, lines or other equipment.
    • Animals: Birds, squirrels, raccoons and other animals may contact equipment or chew into a power line. In our service area, it’s not uncommon for beavers to “fall” trees onto power lines.
    • Planned maintenance: Sometimes, we need to interrupt service so we can work on the system safely. We try to avoid this but when we can’t, we give customers as much notice as possible.
    • Supply and demand: Service disruptions can occur when electricity supply doesn’t meet demand, such as when a generating unit goes down during a heat wave or peak use. These situations are rare.
    • Equipment failure: Though we regularly inspect, maintain and update our equipment, occasionally cables, connectors, switches or other equipment fail and trigger an outage.
  • Prepare for a power outage - Be ready!

    Don't get caught in the dark. Here are tips on how to make sure you are prepared for a power outage to ensure you and your family are kept safe.

    • Download our Power Pack Guide  to find out what you should have on hand in case there's a power outage. Remember, after you build your Power Pack, make sure it’s somewhere that’s easy to find. Will you know how to find it in the dark?
    • Take inventory of the items you need that rely on electricity.
    • Plan for batteries and other alternative power sources to meet your needs when the power goes out, such as a portable charger or power bank.
    • Have flashlights for every household member. Determine whether your home phone will work in a power outage and how long battery backup will last.
    • Last but not least, stay up-to-date about outages on our My ATCO Electricity App, a one-stop-shop for all outage updates and reports

     

DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE DARK

Power outages can happen any time – and usually without warning. Most are very short, but it's important to be prepared if they last longer.

Download our Power Pack Guide to find out what you should include in your pack, and general tips on what to do during an outage.

Power Pack Guide