- First, What Is a Planned Power Outage?
- How to Find Out About an Planned Power Outage in Your Area
- Step 1 Before the Outage: Prepare Your Home and Family
- Step 2 During the Outage: Stay Safe and Comfortable
- Step 3 After the Power Returns Restore Your Home Safely
- Take Control of Your Power and Peace of Mind
- FAQs About Power Outages
How to Prepare for a Planned Power Outage at Home
- First, What Is a Planned Power Outage?
- How to Find Out About an Planned Power Outage in Your Area
- Step 1 Before the Outage: Prepare Your Home and Family
- Step 2 During the Outage: Stay Safe and Comfortable
- Step 3 After the Power Returns Restore Your Home Safely
- Take Control of Your Power and Peace of Mind
- FAQs About Power Outages
The alert just arrived: your electricity will be down for a few hours on an upcoming day. Any time the electricity goes out, it might feel like a hassle, but a planned outage is not a big deal. It's a chance to get ready so that the momentary darkness is a minor inconvenience at most.
This overview gives you the information you need to deal with a planned power outage. Getting your home ready ahead of time, remaining safe during the outage, and properly reconnecting electricity afterward are the three main steps.
First, What Is a Planned Power Outage?
A planned outage is a temporary shutdown of electricity by your utility company. It's done on purpose and scheduled in advance, unlike a sudden blackout from a storm. Utilities schedule these outages for a few key reasons, all focused on keeping the power grid safe and reliable for everyone.
Upgrading the Grid: This involves modernizing the infrastructure. Crews might install stronger poles, more efficient transformers, or newer technology to improve the grid's performance and prevent future issues.
Routine Maintenance: Just like a car needs a tune-up, the power grid needs regular upkeep. A planned outage allows crews to safely perform necessary repairs, like replacing a worn-out component on a power line before it can fail unexpectedly.
Safety and Prevention: Often, an outage is a preventative measure. This includes trimming trees away from power lines to avoid storm damage or shutting off power in high-risk weather conditions to prevent wildfires.
How to Find Out About an Planned Power Outage in Your Area
You can find out "is there a planned power outage in my area?" in several ways.
Direct Utility Notifications: This is the most common method. Utilities send out automated phone calls, text messages, and emails 24 to 48 hours in advance. These messages usually list the date, start time, and how long the outage might last.
Online Outage Maps: Your utility provider's website likely has an interactive "Outage Map." You can enter your address to see a real-time view of your neighborhood, which will show both active and upcoming outages.
Official Mobile Apps: Downloading your utility's app is a great way to get instant information. You can often turn on push notifications for alerts about any scheduled work in your area.
Social Media and News Outlets: For larger outages, utility companies often post announcements on their official social media channels. Local news may also report on the interruption.
Making sure your utility can reach you and knowing where to look online will give you plenty of advance notice. This lead time is your biggest advantage.
State | Major utility | Outage map/center | Mobile app |
California | Southern California Edison (SCE) | Outage Center with address lookup | SCE mobile app with push alerts |
California | Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) | Outage Center and map (via PG&E portal) | PG&E app (account-based updates) |
California (statewide hub) | CPUC | Links to maps for major utilities | N/A (regulatory hub) |
California (PSPS) | SCE (PSPS) | PSPS status within outage tools | SCE app supports PSPS alerts |
Los Angeles (city) | LADWP | Interactive outage map | LADWP app options noted on site |
Arizona | APS (Arizona Public Service) | APS outage map (linked via CPUC hub for examples) | APS mobile app (account alerts) |
Nevada | NV Energy | Interactive outage map | NV Energy app (push alerts) |
Texas | Oncor | Oncor outage map | Oncor app (if available regionally) |
Florida | FPL (Florida Power & Light) | FPL Power Tracker map | FPL app (push alerts) |
New York | Con Edison | Con Edison outage map | Con Edison app |
Illinois | ComEd | ComEd outage map | ComEd app |
Pennsylvania | PPL Electric | PPL outage map | PPL app |
Washington | Puget Sound Energy (PSE) | PSE outage map | PSE app |
Oregon | Portland General Electric (PGE) | PGE outage map | PGE app |
Colorado | Xcel Energy (CO) | Xcel outage map | Xcel app |
If your state has more than one IOU or co-op, you can utilize the state hub (if it's available) to find the right utility and its outage center. Then, turn on alerts in your utility account to get 24–48 hour planned outage notices. The CPUC hub is a good example of a resource for California; several state utility commissions provide similar link hubs.
Step 1 Before the Outage: Prepare Your Home and Family
With a day or two of notice, you can easily get your home ready. A solid plan removes stress and ensures everyone stays safe and comfortable. Here's how to break down your preparation into manageable tasks.
Get Your Electronics Ready
In our connected age, powerless devices can be a big problem. Your first priority should be your electronics.
Charge Everything to 100%: Gather all your phones, laptops, tablets, and portable power banks. A fully charged power bank is your best tool for keeping your phone running.
Have a Car Charger: Make sure you have a phone charger that works in your car. It can be a useful backup if the outage lasts longer than expected.
Download Entertainment: Don't rely on streaming. Download movies, playlists, podcasts, or e-books onto your devices to keep everyone entertained.
Protect Your Gear: Just before the outage, unplug sensitive electronics like computers, televisions, and gaming consoles. This protects them from a potential power surge when electricity is restored.
Secure Your Food and Water
Your main goal here is to preserve your perishable food and have basics on hand.
Know the Fridge & Freezer Rule: Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. A closed fridge keeps food safe for about 4 hours. A half-full freezer lasts about 24 hours; a full freezer lasts up to 48 hours.
Plan No-Cook Meals: Have food that requires no cooking or refrigeration. Good options include peanut butter, crackers, canned tuna or chicken, protein bars, and dried fruit.
Make Extra Ice: A day ahead, make extra ice cubes or fill plastic containers with water and freeze them. A full freezer stays cold longer than an empty one.
Stock Up on Water: Ensure you have at least one gallon of water per person, per day for drinking and basic sanitation.
Prepare Your Home for Safety and Comfort
Your next step is to make your home a safe and comfortable space without electricity.
Create a Lighting Kit: Gather flashlights, battery-powered lanterns, and headlamps. Test them and make sure you have plenty of fresh batteries. Place them in easy-to-reach spots like the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms.
Learn Manual Overrides: If you have an electric garage door opener, learn how to use the manual release lever (usually a red cord). Test it once so you're not stuck.
Plan for Temperature Control: For cold weather, have extra blankets and warm clothing ready. In hot weather, close blinds during the day to keep the sun out and identify the coolest spot in your home.
Plan Activities for Kids: If you have children, plan some non-electric activities. Board games, card games, reading aloud by flashlight, or even shadow puppets can be fun. For infants, if you need to warm a bottle, you can place it in a bowl of warm water that you've prepared and kept in a thermos.
For those who want to move beyond basic preparation and ensure their entire home remains functional, a whole-home backup power system is the ideal solution. A powerful battery system like the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra X provides 100% Whole-Home Power, with a single unit delivering 12kW split-phase 120V/240V output. This is enough power to run everything smoothly, including heavy-duty appliances. Its Adaptive Startup for Every Appliance feature ensures even a 5-ton AC can start without issue, protecting your equipment and providing uninterrupted comfort.
Step 2 During the Outage: Stay Safe and Comfortable
Once the power is out, your focus shifts to safety and making the best of the situation. Knowing how long do planned outages last helps set expectations; your utility notice should give an estimate, which is often a few hours.
Your Safety Checklist
Never Use Outdoor Equipment Indoors: This is the most important rule. Never use a gas stove, oven, or charcoal grill to heat your home. They release deadly carbon monoxide.
Generator Safety: If you use a portable generator, it must be operated outdoors in a well-ventilated area, far away from any windows, doors, or vents.
Use Safe Lighting: Stick to flashlights and battery-powered lanterns. Candles are a major fire hazard and should only be used with extreme caution, away from anything flammable.
Food Safety: Remember the temperature danger zone for food is between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C). If perishable food has been in this zone for more than two hours, it is not safe to eat.
Keeping Comfortable and Busy
Stay Informed: Use a battery-powered or hand-crank radio to get updates and save your phone's battery for emergencies.
Check on Neighbors: Take a moment to check on your neighbors, especially if they are elderly, have medical needs, or live alone.
Enjoy the Quiet: Use the time to disconnect. Read a book, tackle a small organizing project, or have a family conversation without digital distractions. A planned outage can be a nice break from the usual routine.
Step 3 After the Power Returns Restore Your Home Safely
The moment the lights come back on is a relief, but a few final steps will ensure a safe return to normal. The electrical grid needs a moment to stabilize, so a patient approach is best, then move to the next step to restock and review your supplies.
Wait a Few Minutes: Don't rush to plug everything back in at once. Give the system a few minutes to stabilize. This protects your appliances from another potential surge.
Plug In Appliances Gradually: Turn your appliances on one by one, starting with the most important ones like your refrigerator and freezer. Spacing them out for a minute or two prevents a sudden jolt to your home's electrical system.
Check Your Systems: Do a quick check of your home. Reset any digital clocks on your microwave, oven, and alarm clocks. If you have a security system or a sump pump, make sure they have reset and are working correctly.
Check Your Food: Do a final food safety check. Use a thermometer to check the temperature inside your fridge and freezer. "When in doubt, throw it out."
Restock Your Emergency Kit: If you used any supplies from your kit, like batteries or bottled water, restock them now. That way, you'll be fully prepared for the next time.
This careful restoration process ensures a smooth transition back to a fully powered home. It's the final step in successfully navigating a planned power outage.
Take Control of Your Power and Peace of Mind
Scheduled power outages don't have to disrupt your life. This guide's three measures will keep your family safe and pleasant during short-term disruptions. Increasing your preparation is the next stage to making a huge inconvenience a non-event. The EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra X prepares you to ignore outages, not just prepare for them. Take control of your power and peace of mind today, from the lights to the AC, to keep your entire home running.
FAQs About Power Outages
Q1: Can a planned power outage hurt my appliances?
The outage itself probably won't cause any damage. However, when the power comes back on, there is a risk of a power surge. This quick jolt of voltage might damage delicate equipment. To avoid this, it's advisable to unplug laptops, TVs, and other important equipment before the power goes off.
Q2: What should I do if the electricity doesn't come back on when it was supposed to?
If the power is still off after the projected time for restoration, look for updates. Check your utility's online outage map or app, as the time frame may have changed. If you don't hear any new information, call their customer service line to let them know that your electricity is still down.
Q3: Is it safe to light candles when the power is out?
Candles are a big fire risk and should only be used as a last option. If you use them, always keep an eye on them and keep them away from flammable materials. LED candles or lanterns that run on batteries are a much safer choice for emergency lighting.
Q4: Should I turn off my main circuit breaker when the power goes out?
If you've already unplugged your electronics, you normally don't need to turn off the main circuit breaker for a planned outage. It can help keep you safe from a power surge. If you do this, make sure to switch it back on only after the electricity is stable in your area.