Power Outage Guide
KUB is proud to provide reliable electric service to its customers and works hard each day to maintain and improve that reliability. But power outages are not completely avoidable and are caused by a variety of things from squirrels to car accidents. If you are experiencing a power outage, your AMI meter would have notified KUB immediately. To confirm your outage or report one, click here or visit KUB's mobile app.
The leading cause of power outages is vegetation. KUB prunes trees and other vegetation along approximately 1,000 miles of electric lines each year for improved reliability through its Vegetation Management Program. KUB's Century II infrastructure management program also works for reliability through regular replacement of aging infrastructure.
When an outage occurs, KUB responds to the areas affected with a defined restoration philosophy that focuses on restoring power to the largest amount of customers first. In tandem, KUB works to restore power to critical facilities such as hospitals and communication systems for emergency notifications. You can watch progress on any outage event by viewing our outage map where we use a color coded system of dots to represent numbers of customers impacted by outage event. The video below consists of screenshots from an actual storm and shows that outages impacting the most customers are restored first. Note that the larger dots are addressed first.
More details about how to prepare for and react to a power outages are outlined below.
Report an Outage
To report an outage or get a status update on outages in your area, click here to visit the Outage Center.
Outages: Before, During, & After
Before an outage
KUB prepares for outages caused by storms with its Vegetation Management program and monitoring of weather to ensure extra crews are ready when needed.
Below are some ways you can prepare for an outage.
- Keep emergency supplies on hand such as batteries, flashlights, a battery-operated radio, nonperishable food items, bottled water, and a charged cell phone.
- Purchase small coolers to keep on hand in case you need to repack your food during a long outage. Know where you can purchase dry ice or block ice. Keep frozen ice packs ready to help maintain your appliances’ temperatures.
- Group foods together in the freezer, as this help the food stay colder, longer in the event of an outage.
- The Red Cross suggests including a supply of your necessary medications.
- Keep your KUB account information up-to-date, such as your phone number and e-mail address. A correct phone number will allow you to use the automated system to report your outage and check its status. You can update your contact information by logging into your account and choosing Manage Account.
- Have a plan for what you'd do in the rare event of a multi-day power outage. This may include getting a hotel room, or staying with friends or family.
- Have and know how to safely operate a portable generator. Be sure to follow the instructions in your owners manual, as well as these tips:
- Generators should be installed and inspected by licensed electricians. Improperly installed generators can be a safety hazard to utility workers as well as to homeowners.
- Never connect the generator to your home's main wiring circuit. Disconnect your home from the power system before hooking up a generator. If you don't, electricity may flow backward into the power lines, endangering you, your neighbors, and the linemen who are working to restore power.
- Locate the generator outside your home. Gasoline-powered generators can produce deadly carbon monoxide.
- Plug appliances directly into the generator. Use extension cords if necessary, but do not exceed the recommended wattage noted on the generator.