Storm safety
Storms can cause outages and put our customers at risk. Your safety is our first concern. There are many ways to prepare and keep safe during a storm.
During an emergency event
Watch out for downed power lines
If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and stay away. Call 9-1-1 immediately to report its location, and then call PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
Where there is flooding
Stay away from flooded areas and downed trees during and after a storm. These areas could be hiding an energized power line.
If the power goes out
During an outage, unplug or turn off all appliances to help avoid overloading circuits when the power is restored. You may want to leave on a single lamp to alert you when the power returns. When the power is restored, you can begin to turn your appliances on, one at a time.
Prepare for power outages
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Check your supplies
Power outages can be an unfortunate result of storm activity. Stay safe when the power goes out by:- Keeping a battery-operated flashlight and radio within easy reach, along with extra batteries.
- If you use a landline phone that requires electricity to communicate, keep a standard handset or mobile phone ready as a backup.
- Store water-filled plastic containers in your freezer. You can use them as blocks of ice to prevent food from spoiling.
- Wax candles are not recommended–use safer, battery-operated LED candles instead.
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Reporting outages
Before calling PG&E about a power outage, determine if power is out only in your building, or if the entire neighborhood is out. Check to see whether neighbors are affected. If only your residence is without power, check circuit breakers and fuse boxes to see if the problem is limited to the home electric system.
To report an outage call 1-800-743-5002. Our phone lines may become very busy during major storms, so we ask for your patience when you are trying to reach us.
Visit the outage map for a status report on your outage and an anticipated time your power will be turned back on.