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The winter season has arrived, and with it come storms and high winds that can cause power outages. PacifiCorp urges its customers
to take precautions before the next storm arrives. PacifiCorp operates as Pacific Power in Oregon, Wyoming, Washington and
California and as Utah Power in Utah and Idaho.
“We work hard to avoid outages, but when bad weather strikes and outages occur, our crews work around the clock to restore
power safely and as quickly as possible,” said Carrie Reese, PacifiCorp’s public safety manager. “One of the best and easiest
things customers can do to help ensure their safety and well-being in the event of a power outage is to make an outage kit.
Your outage kit should include a flashlight, a battery-operated radio and clock, extra batteries, non-perishable foods, a
manual can opener and bottled water.”
If a power outage occurs, PacifiCorp encourages residential and business customers to first check fuses and circuit breakers.
If the power failure is not caused inside the home or business, report the outage to PacifiCorp at 1-877-LITESOUT (1-877-548-3768).
When calling, a customer should give their name, address and phone number. Customers may also be asked if their lights are
out or just dim, whether their neighbors’ lights are out, or if they can see any damaged poles or downed lines. Customers
need to call only once to report an outage. If needed, they’ll be asked to call again later for an update.
To ease the inconvenience of power outages, ensure safety and assist crews in restoring power, PacifiCorp suggests the following
during an outage:
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Stay away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be electrified and
extremely dangerous. Keep everyone, including pets, out of the area.
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Call and report the outage to PacifiCorp at 1-877-LITESOUT (1-877-548-3768).
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Don’t drive over downed power lines.
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Turn on your porch light. After crews complete repairs, they patrol the area of the power failure to see if lights are on.
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As much as possible, do not open refrigerators and freezers; food and perishables inside will stay colder longer.
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Never use kerosene or propane heaters inside without proper ventilation, and never use charcoal in your house or garage.
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Preserve body heat by wearing multiple layers of clothing. Add a hat and blanket to stay warm. Blankets and towels around
windows and doors help keep the heat in.
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Protect your pipes during freezing weather by wrapping them with insulation. Leave faucets dripping so water won’t freeze
and crack the pipes.
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Make sure generators are properly wired for your home or business, and don’t connect a generator directly to your home’s main
fuse box or circuit panel. This can create a dangerous backfeed hazard for line crews.
PacifiCorp also thanks customers in advance for their patience during an outage and reminds them that every attempt is made
to keep outages at a minimum and restore power safely and quickly.
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