At Newfoundland Power, we do our best to ensure our customers always have power. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to guarantee uninterrupted service. For those times we offer the following to help you to be prepared.
 

Causes of power outages

Your electrical system:

If the power outage affects only one part of your home or business, it is probably due to a problem in your panel such as a circuit breaker that has tripped or a fuse that has blown. If resetting the circuit breaker or replacing a blown fuse does not restore your power, you may require an electrician to investigate.

If the power outage affects all of the building, the main breaker may have tripped or the main fuses may have blown in your electrical panel. If only one of the main fuses have blown, power may be out in one part of the building and on in another. The problem could also be outside the building.
 

Newfoundland Power’s electrical system:

Newfoundland Power's distribution system consists of a number of substations and within each substation there are a number of feeders that supply power to different streets and roads within an area. The layout of the distribution system can result in one side of a street or road being without power while the other side has power.

With over 10,000 kilometers of transmission and distribution lines throughout Newfoundland, scheduled outages are occasionally needed to allow our crews to perform preventative maintenance or repairs. When possible, advance notice is provided to customers in the areas affected and the expected length of the outage.

Unscheduled power outages may be caused by circumstances over which we have little control such as high winds, sleet, lightning, floods, equipment failure, vehicle accidents, human error, and even birds and animals. In certain locations, our transmission and distribution facilities are also subject to severe salt spray that is blown off the ocean and deposited on the wires. If the salt spray is followed by fog or drizzle, a series of power outages may occur.
 

Newfoundland Power understands the importance of providing our more than 200,000 customers with reliable electrical service. Generally the power is on over 99.9 per cent of the time but service interruptions do occur and occasionally and typically during severe storms, power may be lost for long periods of time. It is a good idea to be prepared for a power outage situation. Here are a few suggestions:

Emergency kit:  Keep the following items together in a well known, convenient place. A good flashlight and fresh batteries, matches, candles, candle holders, a battery powered radio, extra batteries, extra fuses for your panel and five to ten litres of non-toxic antifreeze for plumbing and water-using appliances.

Life support equipment:  People dependent upon life support equipment should always have a backup power supply available and have it checked and tested regularly. Arrangements should also be made with a relative or neighbor for transportation to a hospital where emergency power is available. Customers who use life support equipment should ensure they have registered with Newfoundland Power’s Outage Reporting Service to request to be notified of any planned power outages affecting their area. You can register for this service by contacting one of our Customer Service Representatives at 737-2802 or 1-800-663-2802 or by email.

Water:  If your water supply is dependent on electricity and you know the power will be off for a while, fill the bathtub and the sinks with water for bathroom purposes. Also, fill several clean containers with water for drinking and cooking. If it is cold and there is a danger of freezing, drain water lines and water beds, and put non-toxic antifreeze in the toilet, sink traps, floor drains, dishwasher and clothes washer. Never leave children unattended near water filled tubs or large containers.

Lighting:  Use candles for room lighting and battery operated flashlights or lanterns for moving about. Never leave small children or pets in a room with a lighted candle.

Heating:  Conserve heat by keeping exterior and interior doors closed. Close drapes to any window where the sun is not shining in and dress warmly. If you have a wood stove or fireplace, light it before the house cools down and ensure you have a good supply of wood available.

For health and safety reasons, camp stoves, barbecues, kerosene heaters and lamps should not be used indoors. Today’s well-insulated and sealed buildings retain the poisonous fumes given off by this equipment. Always carefully follow the manufacturer’s operating and safety instructions.

Food:  A freezer will keep frozen foods for 12 to 48 hours, depending on room temperature and how often it is opened. Do not open the freezer during a power outage unless it is absolutely necessary. Meat still containing ice crystals may be refrozen once power is restored. However, if the color or odour is questionable, the food should not be used.

Portable or back-up generators:  If you use a portable generator, do not connect or plug it into the wiring system of a home or building. This action could result in serious injury to utility workers. Plug individual appliances directly into the portable generator.

For buildings with a back-up generator, a qualified electrician must install specialized equipment. This equipment will not let the generator work when the regular power supply is operating. Without this protection, the generator could put power on the lines outside the building. That would be dangerous for our workers and could lead to personal injury or even death.
 

1. Check other lights in your home or building to see if they are working, and check to see if your neighbors still have power. If others still have power, a breaker has probably tripped or a fuse has blown in your electrical panel. Use a flashlight to check all fuses and breakers. Replace any blown fuses or reset any tripped breakers by turning them completely off before turning them on again.
    
2. If there are no lights on in the neighborhood or you could not find a blown fuse or tripped breaker, call Newfoundland Power’s outage reporting service listed below. Through this service, you can receive outage information or report an outage, downed wires and trees or broken poles. The speed of power restoration is often affected by the amount of information you can provide.
    
3. To avoid damage to your appliances and equipment and to reduce the load on the utility’s system when power is restored we recommend that you:

• Unplug all sensitive electronic equipment and appliances like TV’s, VCR’s, CD players, computers, microwaves, stereo equipment and digital phones.
• Turn off your range, washer, dryer and water heater.
• If the power is out for more than 20 minutes, turn your heating thermostat(s) to the lowest setting or switch them off.
• Keep only one light on. When that light comes on you will know power has been restored.

4. If your basement floods, don't enter unless you're sure the water is not in contact with a source of electricity such as an appliance or heater, electrical outlet or extension cord. If you're not sure, call a qualified electrician to disconnect the power before entering. Note: Never touch a circuit breaker or fuse with wet hands or while standing on a wet or damp floor.
    
5. Finally, turn on your battery powered radio to get information about the outage.
    

When power is restored

1. Wait a few minutes before turning up the central thermostat for your heating system. For individually controlled heaters, such as in an electrically heated building, turn them on one at a time over a 30 to 60 minute period.
    
2. Turn off any standby heating.
    
3. Wait at least 15 minutes before turning on your range, dryer, washer and water heater or plugging in your electronic equipment and appliances.
    
4. To get rid of any antifreeze that you used during the outage flush toilets, sinks and floor drains and rinse out the dishwasher and washing machine.
    
5. If flooding occurred, have a qualified electrician check the electrical system before turning the power back on.
    
6. Restock any emergency supplies used during the outage.
    

Unfortunately power outages can occur anytime. Newfoundland Power employees are committed to restoring power quickly and safely, 24 hours a day and in all kinds of weather. By following this advice, you will be better prepared to deal with an outage to prevent personal injury and/or damage to your equipment or facilities.

For 24 hour power outage information, or to report outages, downed wires or poles, please call 1-800-474-5711.