Power outage guides
Practical, sourced answers to the questions every outage raises — written from federal guidance (the CDC, FDA, USDA, CPSC, EPA, Ready.gov, the National Weather Service and others), the Red Cross, and utilities' own published practice. Each guide shows when it was last reviewed, and when its text changed after that. For live conditions, use the outage map.
How do I report a power outage?
How to report a power outage to your utility: what to check first, the fastest reporting routes, what details help, when it's a 911 call instead, and what happens after.
How our independent restoration forecast works
How the restoration forecast works — recovery pace, whether the outage is still growing, weather, and local history — what the range means, and how its forecasts are graded.
Is the food in my fridge still safe? The power-outage rules
CDC, FDA and USDA food-safety rules for power outages: the 4-hour refrigerator window, 48 hours in a full freezer (24 if half full), the 40°F rule and what to throw out.
Running a generator safely during an outage
CPSC generator-safety rules for outages: never run one indoors or in a garage, keep it 20+ feet from the house, carbon-monoxide facts, dry operation, and safe refueling.
Why is my power out right now?
The common causes of power outages — weather, equipment, animals, planned work, rolling blackouts — how to check if it's just you, and when to call 911.
How utilities decide who gets power back first
The restoration order utilities follow after an outage — transmission, substations, critical facilities, biggest circuits, then individual services — and why estimates move.
Preparing for a power outage (before one starts)
A practical power-outage preparedness checklist: water, light, power banks and a food plan from Ready.gov and Red Cross guidance, plus the medication cold chain and alerts.
If someone in your home depends on powered medical equipment
Backup planning for electricity-dependent medical equipment: utility registries, the HHS emPOWER program, battery backup, and when to call 911. Not medical advice.
How to stay warm when the power's out in winter
Staying warm in a winter power outage: heating one room, safe vs unsafe heat sources, carbon monoxide and hypothermia — per the National Weather Service, Red Cross and CDC.
How to stay cool when the power's out in a heat wave
Staying safe in a summer power outage without AC: heat exhaustion vs heat stroke, cooling centers, hydration and who's most at risk — per the National Weather Service and CDC.
Is my water safe during a power outage?
Water safety during a power outage: why well pumps stop, what a boil-water advisory means, how to boil or disinfect water (CDC, EPA), and how much to store (Ready.gov).
How to stay connected when the power's out
How to keep your phone working in a power outage: saving battery, charging without wall power, texting instead of calling, and reaching 911 without an active phone plan.
The power's back — now what?
When the power comes back: avoid the surge, turn appliances back on in stages, check your food and spot electrical damage, per Ready.gov, the CDC, the Red Cross and utilities.
Choosing backup power for outages
Home backup power compared: portable power stations, portable and standby generators, and home batteries — runtime, cost, and safety. Independent, no purchase advice.
See also: research reports · how our estimates are graded · data sources.