Unplanned outages may be caused by any number of emergency events or incidences that are beyond our control. These include: storms with wind, ice and snow, or lightning; construction damage; traffic accidents affecting power poles; equipment failures; and even birds and other animals.   

Food and Water 

Have extra supplies of bottled water and non-perishable food items on-hand. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold. If the doors are continuously opened and closed, it will allow the cold air to escape and be replaced with warmer air. Generally a freezer that is half full will keep for up to 24 hours and a full freezer for 48 hours.
 
Heat and appliances
 
During any outage, turn off all circuit breakers or any lights, all major appliances and, if you have electric heat, lower the setting or turn it off. By reducing the amount of power we have to restore, you're helping to avoid an overload outage. Leave one light on so you know when power has been restored.
 
When Power Resumes
 
It is a good idea to wait 10 to 15 minutes after the power has been restored before turning everything back on. This gives the electrical system a chance to stabilize. This is particularly critical in the winter.
 
Additional Tips

• Stay dry: never touch a circuit breaker or fuse with wet hands or while standing on a wet or damp floor.
• Back it up: If you use a computer, keep your files backed up on regular basis. Turn off all computers, monitors, printers, copiers, scanners and other devices when they are not being used. This way, if the power goes out, this equipment will have already been safely shut down.
• Surge protector: purchase one for all of your computer and electrical equipment. Make sure it has three-mode protection: Line-Line, Line-Neutral and Neutral Ground.
• Uninterrupted power supply (UPS): If you use the computer a lot, such as for a home business, consider purchasing and installing a UPS. Manual release: If you have an electric garage door opener, locate the manual release lever and learn how to operate it. Make sure you can lift the door using the manual lever and do this while someone else is around.
• Stay connected: If you have a home-based business that relies on a telephone system that requires electricity such as a cordless phone, fax machine, or answering machine, try to plan for alternate methods of communication. This could look like having a standard telephone handset or cellular telephone.
• Stay mobile: Keep your vehicles' fuel tank at least half full because gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps and if you need to travel to a friend or family's home to stay the night, you will not be able to obtain fuel.
• Good grounding: Make sure you have a good grounding system for your home (check with your electrician). Use three-pronged plugs for equipment that requires them. Never remove the grounding pin from the plug.  
  

Outage Checklists
 
Please review the outage checklist to help us determine the extent of the outage. Sometimes solving the problem is simply a matter of keeping track of when and where the interruptions occur. 

• Check to see if your neighbours have power.
• Check all circuit breakers or fuses to help determine if your service outage might be the result of a household problem. If your main breaker is on a pole in your yard, always stand well to the side and look away when attempting to close it.
• Check for significant water damage in your home, if you do call an electrician.
• Check the area outside your home or office near the meters. If the meter looks damaged, or any of the wire or piping before the meter looks damaged, then contact FortisAlberta at 310-WIRE (9473).
• Turn off major appliances so that you can start them gradually once power is restored to avoid damage to sensitive equipment. Leave one light on so that you know when your power is restored.  

Please review the outage troubleshoot list to further help identify the power disturbance problem. 

Troubleshooting 

Troubleshooting Item	Possible Solution
Is other household equipment running at the same time?	There may be too much equipment on one electrical circuit. Determine if sensitive equipment is sharing the same circuit as large appliances or motors. If so, relocate the sensitive equipment to a different outlet or circuit.
Have you recently added new appliances or equipment to your home or office? Has recent work been performed on your electrical system?	Check the installation manual, troubleshooting guide, or call the electrician who did the work to determine if incorrect installation, grounding or wiring is causing the problems with other equipment.
Is the problem happening with only one specific appliance or electrical device?	If so, check the installation manual for troubleshooting tips or contact the manufacturer for help in identifying the problem. Also, if the outlet being used is near water, the problem could involve Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI). Reset the GFI outlet by pushing the reset button.
Are the lights in your home going dim or bright and staying that way for an extended period of time?	Turn off major appliances and call FortisAlberta.
Is there static on your cordless phone, radio or television when another appliance is running?	The problem may be electrical interference. This is a problem with your breakers. You need to identify what electrical devices are connected to the offending breaker. Once you find the device that is causing the interference, repair or replace it.

Safety Checklist

• Do not operate lanterns, heaters or fuel-fired cooking stoves without adequate ventilation.
• Do not refuel appliances inside - always refuel outside, away from flames or sparks.
• Do not burn charcoal indoors because it releases carbon monoxide.
• Do not allow children to carry candles or oil lamps in the house.
• Do not let fuel spills sit - wipe up immediately.