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Electricity & Telecommunication Services

Serving Plumas, Sierra, Lassen and Washoe counties since 1937.

Quick Link to Outage Tips

Electricity surrounds us and makes most aspects of our daily lives possible. We sometimes take it for granted, and forget that it can be dangerous and deserves our respect. Below are some things to keep in mind and precautions to take while using electricity.

If your school, group or organization would like to schedule an electrical safety demonstration, please contact our Member Services Department at (800) 555-2207.

Check appliances and equipment for the label of a national testing laboratory, such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories). The UL mark means samples of the product met safety requirements.
Frequently check your electrical cords and appliances; replace any that you find to be worn or damaged.
Don’t use electronics near water.
If you use electric appliances in your bathroom, garage, at an outdoor outlet, or anywhere there is the potential for water or moisture, plug into a GFCI—ground fault circuit interrupter. This small, inexpensive, life-saving device detects the smallest electric current leak and reacts by stopping the flow of electricity fast enough to prevent serious injury or death from electrical shock.
Never overload electrical outlets. Unplug appliances when not in use.
Turn off lights and appliances when leaving the house and going to bed.
Before starting any project that requires digging, call 811 to have utilities mark underground service lines. One wrong move can cause you and your neighbors to be cut off from vital services - or cause death or injury to you, from an electric shock or an explosion.
Electrical “backfeed” from a generator can injure or kill utility workers repairing power lines. For safety’s sake, hire a licensed electrician to install a transfer switch that distributes power from the generator to the home’s circuit box. For more information on generator safety, visit our outage tips below.
Never climb trees near power lines. Wood can be a conductor of electricity if the right conditions exist.
Never fly a kite in stormy or wet weather. Fly kites and model airplanes away from power lines. If a string or wire becomes tangled in a power line, call PSREC to remove it. DO NOT try to remove anything from power lines yourself, you could be electrocuted.
A wooden power pole may seem like a great place to put up a sign, but it is dangerous to line workers who have to climb the pole - and it is illegal in many states! Staples, tacks or nails used to attach signs can trip a line worker, or pierce the worker’s safety equipment, possibly resulting in electrocution. They also prematurely damage poles.
Electricity is always trying to get to ground by the path of least resistance. Sometimes that path can be through you.
Stay away from downed power lines. Never touch a person or object that is touching a power line. Call 911.
If a power line has fallen on or near your car, stay in the car until help arrives. Tell others that may want to help to stay away and call for help. If you must leave the car because of fire or any other danger, you must JUMP as far as you can with both feet together. Electricity can travel through the ground from the line. The voltage becomes less the farther you are away, so if one foot is in a higher voltage zone than the other, you could become a conductor for electricity. That's why you should shuffle or roll away. Don't ever touch the ground and the car at the same time.
Winter storms can cause damage to electrical systems. Be aware of, and avoid service wires when removing snow and ice from your roof. Should you notice damage to wires or other electrical service equipment from sliding snow or tree branches contact PSREC immediately. Repair crews are on call around the clock to quickly and efficiently repair electrical hazards caused by storms.
Recognize and respect warning signs. Stay clear of substations and other high-voltage electrical equipment.

Outage Tips

Electric service is one of the most reliable services you can purchase. PSREC works very hard to minimize power outages through many preventative maintenance programs.

From time to time, PSREC’s system requires maintenance that may result in a scheduled and planned outage. We try to plan these at times when there will be the least amount of inconvenience. When possible, members will be notified in advance of the planned outages to further minimize inconvenience.

But, there are times when an unplanned power interruption will occur. PSREC cannot control the weather or prevent unforeseen events. You can be sure that we are ready to serve you quickly and efficiently in the event of a power interruption.

The following information will be helpful in coping with an unplanned power outage, should it occur:

Prepare for outages

Is your business prepared?

What to do if the power goes out

Members can help

Outage updates

Power restoration process

Helpful links

Prepare for power outages
Planning ahead for unexpected power outages can help make the best of a bad situation. Equip your home with a power outage kit that includes:

A flashlight, battery-powered lamp or lantern, and extra batteries.
Candles and matches.
A battery-powered radio with extra batteries.
Easily accessible emergency phone numbers for your utility, doctor, fire and police.
A telephone connected directly to the phone jack. Cordless phones need electricity to operate.
Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothes.
A one-week supply of drinking water and non-perishable
food.
A cooler for storing frequently used foods. Food spoils more quickly if the refrigerator door is opened.
A manual can opener.
An alternative cooking source.
Firewood, if you have a fireplace or woodstove.
A deck of cards, board games and books, which can make a power outage more tolerable.

If someone in your home depends on electric-powered, life-sustaining equipment, make a plan for backup power.

Please install surge protectors on any sensitive electronics and appliances. Be sure to buy surge protectors that have a warranty for your connected load.

Is your business prepared for an unexpected power outage?
Being prepared for a power outage can help keep your business functioning.

Have a response plan, and make sure employees know what to do if there is an outage.
Identify electrical panels and know how to turn off power, especially to key equipment.
Install and maintain emergency lighting.

Protect Your Equipment

Before an outage:

Cash registers - Have a backup option that does not require electricity.
Computers - Use good quality surge protectors and use uninterruptible power supplies to prevent data loss.

During an outage:

Safety - Do not operate machinery if ventilation, fire suppression or other safety systems are not functioning.
Refrigeration - To preserve food, keep refrigerators and freezers closed during an outage.
Unplug - Protect sensitive electronics that do not have surge protectors by unplugging them.

Is Backup Power An Option For Your Business?
Look at your essential business equipment and functions. Estimate the financial impact of losing power to those operations. Compare this to the cost of a backup power system to determine if it is a viable option.

What to do if the power goes out

Check your fuses and circuit breakers. If some of your lights work, the trouble is probably on your side of the meter and you should contact an electrician.
Note if your neighbors are also without power. It is beneficial for us to know if several members are out of service.
Note the approximate time the power went off.
Report outages to PSREC. Our service personnel are prepared to serve you seven days a week, 24 hours a day, including holidays. Our 24-hour phone numbers: 530-832-4261 or outside the Portola/Graeagle area 800-555-2207
During a major power outage our telephone lines can get very busy, please be patient and call back if you receive a busy signal. We will respond as promptly as possible to any service interruption call we receive. In cases of a major power outage, it can take some time to restore all power. Your patience and understanding are deeply appreciated.

Members can help during an outage

As soon as lights start to flicker, turn everything off except for one light.
Protect sensitive electronics by unplugging them at the wall.
Turn off breakers to large heating or cooling loads.
Keep refrigeration units closed as much as possible to retain cold air.
During a power outage, please disconnect all nonessential electrical loads. Every light and appliance turned off will help PSREC re-energize more of our system. If our power transmission system is constrained, conservation helps keep our electrical system stable and enables us to serve both you and your neighbors.
As power is restored, CONSERVE, CONSERVE, CONSERVE. Leave off all non-essential loads until PSREC returns to its primary power source. We will provide confirmation through various communication channels listed below under Outage updates.

Generators
Some members use an electric generator as a standby system to keep lights and appliances running until power is restored.

A generator can help save food in your refrigerator and power other essential equipment, but it can also pose serious safety hazards to you and to others, so please follow all safety instructions provided by the manufacturer.

The law requires that members with a permanently installed or portable generator do not connect it to another power source, such as PSREC's power lines. If you own and operate a generator, you are responsible for making sure that electricity from your unit cannot "backfeed," or flow into PSREC’s power lines. For safety's sake, be sure to use your generator correctly; hire a licensed electrician to install a transfer switch that distributes power from the generator to your home’s circuit box. A double-pole, double-throw transfer switch is recommended to keep your generator from backfeeding into PSREC's system. The switch also keeps PSREC's power from re-energizing your house while your generator is running; protecting your equipment when power is restored.

If you do not install and operate your generator properly, you risk damaging your property and endangering your life and the lives of PSREC line workers who may be working on power lines. You are responsible for any injuries or damage to your property, your neighbors' or PSREC's, from an improperly installed or operated generator.

· Before starting your generator, carefully read and follow all of the manufacturer's instructions.

· Be sure that the total electric load on your generator will not exceed the manufacturer's rating.

· Always locate your generator where its exhaust will vent safely.

Life Support Equipment
If someone in your home depends on electric-powered, life-sustaining equipment, make a plan for backup power.

PSREC's Life Line Program flags accounts in the system for special notification of individuals who rely on electricity for life support or special medical equipment.

If you or someone in your home has special medical equipment, please contact the PSREC office during normal business hours and ask to be put on the Life Line List. Please provide us with a land line or cell phone number as wireless phones do not work without electricity.

Members on the Life Line List will be contacted if there are any planned outages on the system that might effect their service. All PSREC members, including those on the Life Line List, are expected to pay their bills in a timely manner to avoid disconnection of service.

Outage Updates
During extended, system-wide power outages, PSREC will send text and e-mail updates. To sign up for text notifications, text PSREC to 95577. To sign up for e-mail notifications, visit the subscription page for our eNewsletter, enter your information and select the e-mail lists you would like to be part of.

Power Restoration Process