What to do in Case of Power Outages
Keeping your power on is our number one priority. Despite our best efforts, power outages do occur for a variety of reasons including strong seasonal storms, trees, squirrels, downed power lines, equipment failure and accidents.
If your power is off:
- Check your home's breaker panel (and any outdoor disconnects) to make sure the outage is not due to a tripped breaker.
- Call your neighbors to see if their power is off. This will help you determine if the problem exists within your home, or on our lines.
- If you determine the problem is outside your home, call Itasca-Mantrap. Do not assume that others have reported the outage.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Food should keep for up to 48 hours in a freezer, if the door remains closed. If the outage persists, cover your refrigerator or freezer with a blanket, make arrangements to store food at another location, or purchase dry ice.
- Turn off all electrical appliances that were on when the power went off, especially heat pumps, air conditioners or electric heat. But leave a light on so you will know when power is restored.
Please be prepared for extended outages:
- Make sure one of the phones in your home is not a cordless phone as these use electricity and therefore do not work during power outages
- Use a battery powered flashlight, not candles.
- Keep a battery operated radio handy to listen for outage information and updates
- Turn off electrical equipment you were using before the power went out
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Food should keep for up to 48 hours in a freezer, if the door remains closed. If the outage persists, cover your refrigerator or freezer with a blanket, make arrangements to store food at another location, or purchase dry ice.
- Essential supplies: flashlight, batteries, radio, extra supply of water, food.
- Turn off and unplug your computer if you were using it. Buy a surge protector to protect the machine when power comes back on.
Always stay away from downed power lines.
Food and water safety during extended outages
Limited Liability for Property Damage
Itasca-Mantrap makes every effort to provide reliable and dependable electricity. The cooperative installs equipment such as circuit reclosers, lighting arrestors and voltage regulators that are designed to help make the supply of electricity as dependable as possible. Itasca-Mantrap also has a vegetation management program that includes regularly scheduled right-of-way maintenance and maintains line equipment.
However, in spite of taking these extra precautions to ensure that dependably supply of electricity is provided at a proper voltage, the co-op, or any utility, cannot provide perfect electric service at all times. It’s beyond the control of Itasca-Mantrap to completely eliminate interruptions in electric service.
There are many factors beyond the control of the cooperative that can interfere with your electric supply. These factors include tree limbs that come in contact with electric lines; lightning finding its way to ground by way of the cooperative’s utility system; animals and birds coming in contact with cooperative equipment, especially transformers; vehicles crashing into utility poles; or a severe ice or snow storm. These factors are beyond the control of the cooperative and the cooperative cannot be held responsible for damages caused by such factors. Should you suffer damage to personal property due to the factors beyond the cooperatives control, the cooperative is not legally liable for this damage. Itasca-Mantrap does carry liability insurance in the event that damage is sustained due negligence on the cooperative’s part.
If a power outage occurs, Itasca-Mantrap dispatches a crew to repair the damage and restore the electric service as soon as possible. Although power outages are inconvenient to co-op members, power outages do not typically damage appliances and other electrical items because electric power is only discontinued for a period of time. Electricity does not surge when the power is restored to the lines, and typically power surges are what damage electrical items.
There are steps that members can take to control losses due to electrical outages or power surges. Most home owner’s insurance does not cover damage to personal property due to a cause that occurs off of the insured’s property. You may want to see if such losses are covered, and if not, you may be able to add this coverage at an additional cost.
If you have an operation that would suffer extensive damage during a long power outage, you should consider a standby power system. Most standby systems could pay for themselves during just one extended power outage if your operation depends on electricity.
More and more members are installing electrical equipment that is extremely sensitive to just a minor variation in power supply. Home computers are the best example. You may consider adding special protective equipment that will ensure a constant and regulated power supply. This equipment can range from an inexpensive line filter and will eliminate most problems caused by electronic noise and static interference, to a more expensive devise that provides an interruptible power supply.
Please contact us for more information.