Tracking power outages in Northeast Ohio: See the latest outage updates and restoration estimates from FirstEnergy (2024)

FAQs

How do I know if I have a power outage in my area? ›

Please call us at 1-800-611-1911 so we can assist you. If you received a notification from us about an outage in your area, enter your Outage Number above. You can find it on your notification. With a bit more information, we can help you retrieve more accurate outage data for your location.

The duration of a power outage depends on its cause and the extent of damage to the electrical infrastructure. On average, most technical or minor outages in the USA last about 1-2 hours.

August 14 and 15, 2003 - The northeastern U.S. and southern Canada suffered the worst power blackout in history. Areas affected extended from New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey west to Michigan, and from Ohio north to Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario. Approximately 50 million customers were impacted.

As the USDA notes in Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power.

Turn the power in the circuit off, selecting it on the electrical panel with the circuit breaker. Verify that the power is off by placing the voltmeter on the two output points at the bottom of the circuit breaker. The voltmeter will show that there is no voltage if the light does not light up.

Most power cuts only last for around 30-40 minutes. However, it's not unheard of for power outages to last more than 24 hours. As such, you should make sure that you have the following in your home, just to be on the safe side.

The most likely cause is a bad connection or faulty wiring issue that does not allow an adequate flow of electricity to certain fixtures. That's why it's important to cut power to those fixtures when you discover the problem—loose wires are a leading cause of house fires, so it's better to be safe than sorry.

In the case of this type of power cut, your local distribution network operator (DNO) will do their best to repair the issue and restore power as quickly as possible.

Almost one-quarter of 2022 power outages occurred in California. The state of California also came in first for the most power outages overall in the last 20 years: 2,684.

Can I shower during a power outage? ›

It's perfectly safe to shower during an outage or storm. The main risk is that showering in the dark increases your risk of slipping and falling, which is why you should have a battery-powered light in your bathroom. It's a safer alternative to candles and gas lamps that represent a fire hazard.

On August 14, 2003, a transmission line fault in Ohio caused by contact with a tree cascaded into what would become one of the largest outages in North American history plunging more than 50 million people in eight states and Ontario into darkness.

You can report a power outage or check the status of a previously reported power outage via our online reporting tool. You can also call us at 888.313. 4747. If you have signed up for My Oncor Alerts, text OUT to 66267 (ONCOR).

Step 1: Go to PG&E Outage Center to search for an address. Step 2: If an outage is affecting the address, you will see the option to "Get outage updates." Click this link. Step 3: Enter the phone or email where you would like to get alerts.

The outage map also includes detailed information about specific outages, such as the cause and estimated time of restoration. Alternatively, you can also call their customer service number at 1-800-DIAL DWP (800-342-5397) to find out if there is an existing power outage in your area.