by
Rachel Hansen | Oct 18, 2022
When the wind howls and the lights go out, customer-owners have a new tool to monitor outages. Introducing Chelan PUD’s new outage map, an interactive online map that allows customers to monitor outages with information that’s updated every five minutes.
If there’s an outage with 10 or more customers in Chelan County, the outage map will show:
- the impacted area
- the number of customers affected
- if known, the cause and the estimated time of restoration
Check it out at https://outages.chelanpud.org, available via mobile device or desktop computer. If there’s an outage in your area, and it’s not on the map, call the 24/7 outage line at 1-877-783-8123. If you see a fallen power line or hazard, please dial 911 and stay far away.
“The expectations of customer-owners are evolving,” said General Manager Kirk Hudson. “Our goal is to provide more information that customers can use to make decisions.”
Here are tips to help your family during storm-related outages:
- Unplug electronics and turn off the heat/furnace. Turn off the circuit breaker to your hot water heater. In rare instances, when power is restored, voltage fluctuations can cause damage to these items.
- After power is restored, wait ten minutes before turning these items back on. This reduces strain on the system as power is restored to your area and can prevent longer outages.
- Leave one porch and/or indoor light on so PUD crews can see when the power has been restored.
- Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. Before using any foods, check your refrigerator and freezer thermometers. If the fridge is still at or below 40 °F, or the food has been above 40 °F for two hours or less, it should be safe to eat according to the FDA.
- If it’s cold, stay warm by dressing with layers of clothes and a hat. Choose a small room with few windows as your emergency living quarters. Keep the windows, drapes and doors closed.
- Conserve water, especially in areas where well pumps and pumping stations may be without power.
- Considering a back-up generator? Check out our guide on generator safety.
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Here for you, providing the best for the most for the longest – chelanpud.org