Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are CV's priorities for restoring service?
2. Does CV know when I've lost power?
3. If my power goes out, what should I check?
4. Who do I call if electrical wires have been pulled away from my house?
5. What if I have special medical needs?
6. How can I tell if a downed power line is still carrying electricity?
7. Are there safety precautions I should take in using a portable generator?
8. Why did a CV crew pass my house without stopping?

1. What are CV's priorities for restoring service?
To restore service as quickly and safely as possible, we follow a detailed recovery plan. Restoration is focused in the following order:

1. Imminent danger to life.
2. Failure at a key point in our system affecting thousands of customers, such as a  transmission line (a "main highway" of the power system).
3. Main distribution lines, which are smaller than transmission lines, but may serve hundreds of customers.
4. Hospitals, police and fire stations, and other critical facilities.
5. Single lines.
6. Single customers.
7. Cleanup work.

2. Does CV know when I've lost power?
CVPS can locate transmission lines, substations and major distribution circuits that have been damaged. However, you should always report your outage, especially if it is an isolated situation. Call 1-800-451-2877.

3. If my power goes out, what should I check?

1. See if your neighbors have lights. If they do, the problem could be in your own house, possibly a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker.
2. Check your circuit breakers or fuses to see if it's an isolated problem. Examine your meter. If it looks damaged, call a qualified electrician. They may need to make repairs before CV can restore your power. If you don't find any problems, contact CV at 1-800-451-2877.
3. If the neighbors' lights are out, don't assume they have called CV.

4. Who do I call if electrical wires have been pulled away from my house?
CV is responsible for delivering power to your home. We maintain all lines and equipment necessary to do that. If the overhead line leading to your house is damaged, call CV. The service cable that typically runs down the wall to your meter belongs to you. If it or the meter socket is damaged, you should call your electrician to arrange for repair.

5. What if I have special medical needs?
If you or a family member rely on life-support, contact CV to make sure we are aware of it. During a storm or loss of power, CV will make special efforts to communicate with customers using life-support equipment. Be sure we know the kind of life-support equipment in your home and the hours of backup power available. If there's a change in life-support information, please let us know that as well. In a major storm or power disruption, have a backup plan in case power goes out while life-support equipment is in use or scheduled.

6. How can I tell if a downed power line is still carrying electricity?
You can't! Any power line could be energized, so NEVER go near downed power lines. A downed line can cause serious injuries or death. Assume all objects touching the power line are also energized. Keep pets, livestock and children away from all lines, as well. If the line is blocking the road or in contact with a vehicle with people inside, call your local police or fire emergency number first. Then call CV.

7. Are there safety precautions I should take in using a portable generator?
Customers who use portable generators to deal with power outages must be sure to use them safely. Otherwise the results could be far worse than the loss of electricity: injury or death to yourself, a utility lineworker or someone else.

Improper installation can also damage your generator or appliances. Be sure to follow these safety guidelines:

• Read the owner's manual every time you use your generator.
• Operate the generator outdoors to avoid deadly fumes accumulating in the house.
• When using a portable generator, plug appliances directly into the generator, or have the generator properly attached to your home's wiring by a qualified electrician, who will install a special transfer switch as required by the National Electrical Code. The switch will ensure that electricity from the generator won't backfeed into electric lines or endanger the lineworkers and others.
• Never connect a portable generator to your home's main electrical panel; never plug it into an electrical outlet of your home.

8. Why did a CV crew pass my house without stopping?
The crew could be looking for the cause of the outage, or working at a nearby location to restore electricity to your home, or repairing larger outages before restoring those that affect only one or two customers. Restoration is focused in the following order:

1. Imminent danger to life.
2. Failure at a key point in our system affecting thousands of customers, such as a transmission line (a "main highway" of the power system).
3. Main distribution lines, which are smaller than transmission lines, but may serve hundreds of customers.
4. Hospitals, police and fire stations, and other critical facilities.
5. Single lines.
6. Single customers.
7. Cleanup work.