Before reporting your outage, please first check the fuses and circuit breaker. Then check your neighborhood to determine if the electricity is out in your area. You can also view our outage map to check for known outages in your area.
Weather-related outages can occur during any season. Weather can create dangerous situations for all of us, including the TCEC line crews who are out working to get your power safely restored as quickly as possible. While we strive to provide safe, reliable service at the lowest cost possible, unavoidable circumstances can still knock out your electricity for short periods.
Before contacting us, be sure to check that the power is out to your entire home. If any lights or appliances have power, it usually means that a fuse has blown or a circuit breaker has tripped. Please check your main electrical panel.
When you report an outage, we'll ask you a few questions. Your answers help us determine the location and the extent of the trouble. Please take the time to see if your neighbors have power, and be sure to note any unusual occurrences, such as a loud noise when the power went off, nearby lightning or storm damage, or construction crews working in the area. If your power is off at night, use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Never use candles, as they can cause a fire if they come in contact with upholstery, curtains, or any other flammable material.
You can report your power outage via SmartHub or by calling us at 580.652.2418.
- Your name
- Your telephone number
- Meter number or pole number
- Time the power went off
- If there are downed wires, trees on the line, or similar trouble
Some members may choose to install a standby generator for backup power during an outage. Backup or standby generators that are connected to your home's electrical system can turn into lethal hazards for lineworkers.
To help ensure the safety of our lineworkers, have a professional install a double-throw switch and notify TCEC of the generator installation.
If you use a portable or standalone generator that is not connected directly to your home's electrical system, you do not need a special switch or to notify TCEC but you should be aware of other personal safety considerations.
See our Generator Safety page for more information.
We concentrate our initial restoration efforts in the areas and on the power lines that restore electricity to the greatest number of people in the shortest period of time. We place emphasis on vital community services, such as hospitals, emergency services, public safety, and water and sewage stations. Please be patient, and we will restore your electric service as soon as we possibly can.
Use our outage map to view current outages.
Follow TCEC on Facebook or Twitter for updates during widespread outage situations.
Many people think that the loud noise they heard was the sound of a transformer exploding, due to lightning or other extreme conditions. This was probably not the case - the noise could have been a fuse blowing. Our power lines use fuses in a similar manner to the way you use fuses in your home. These fuses protect parts of our distribution system when severe weather strikes.
If a tree falls into a line, lightning strikes, or some other disruptive condition takes place, the fuse can blow to isolate the trouble and prevent surges from reaching other customers on our system. The noise can be substantial, leading many people to think something has exploded. When reporting an outage, it is very helpful when you tell us you heard a loud noise because it helps us isolate the location of problems on our lines, which allows us to restore your electrical service more efficiently.
Use the Outage Map to view current outages.
- Always have extra batteries for flashlights.
- (If you have a well) Fill your bathtub with water if you think you will lose power. The water can be used for many things, such as flushing toilets.
- Stock up on a few days worth of nonperishable food. If you are out of power, chances are your nearest grocery store is too.
- Disconnect sensitive electronics like TVs, gaming systems and computers to avoid damage from surges.
After the storm, if you clear trees on your property, don't try to remove those tangled in power lines. Stay away from any downed lines (no matter what type) and notify us about them immediately.
Visit www.ready.gov for more preparation tips.
The power lines that serve your home have a variety of protective devices designed to keep your power on during storms and other severe weather. There are several reasons your lights might blink during a storm, but the most common cause is tree movement.
Despite our best efforts to keep trees near our lines trimmed on a regular basis, strong winds can cause those trees to make contact with our wires. When that happens, your lights may dim, or you might lose power for a few seconds. It is very important that our members allow us to trim trees near power lines to minimize these types of disruptions.