Power's Out - Now What? | Cass County Electric Cooperative.

My Power Is Out; Now What?

Power outages can happen at any time. If your power goes out, CCEC crews will work to restore service as safely and quickly as possible.

Don't go out at night to look at storm damage. There may be downed power lines or other debris that can cause serious injury.

If you clear trees on your property, don't try to remove those tangles in power lines.

Stay away from downed power lines - always assume the lines are "live."

Do not wade or drive through water; there could be a hidden power line or another source of electric current.

Call 911 in the event of an emergency.

Keeping the public safe is the top priority. Crews will first clear fallen lines from the roadways.
Once roadways have been cleared, work will begin on restoring substations, if necessary. Sometimes service to hundreds of members can be restored immediately by restoring power at the substation.
Next, major distribution feeders are repaired. These are the lines that come from the substation. If energy isn’t flowing over these lines, your home cannot receive power.
Tap lines are repaired next. These lines carry power to groups of homes from distribution feeders. Sometimes taps need to be disconnected to get the main lines back on.
Finally, individual service lines are repaired. While CCEC is responsible for getting the electricity to your meter, members must contact an electrician to repair damage to member-owned electric equipment.

Turn off lights and small appliances; unplug computers, TVs, and stereos. This helps avoid a surge in usage when the power is restored.
Limit freezer and refrigerator door openings. Food will keep longer if doors remain closed. Check items for spoilage before serving. Food safety during an outage.
Do not use charcoal or gas grills indoors for cooking or heating. They produce carbon monoxide.
If it is a winter outage, try to keep outside door openings to a minimum and use blankets, sleeping bags and extra clothes to help stay warm. Dress in layers and wear a hat. Cover drafty windows and doors with blankets. Close off doors and stay in the room with your heat source.
Run a generator only through a properly installed transfer switch or plug appliances directly into the generator using a properly sized extension cord. Do not run the generator in enclosed spaces.

Keep a flashlight in a few easy-to-find places around your home. Avoid relying on candles during an outage.
Keep power banks charged so you can stay connected and receive important updates.
Have enough on hand for your household for at least a short-term outage, including food that does not require cooking.
Keep basic first-aid items together and make sure essential medications are easy to access.
Extra layers, blankets and sleeping bags can help keep your household comfortable during a winter outage.
Consider the needs of children, older adults and pets, including formula, pet food or other essential items.