The ABC's of reporting a power outage
Even with the best electric service available, power outages are inevitable because their origins are many -- from squirrels or limbs on powerlines to vehicle collisions with utility poles to severe weather. Regardless of their cause, power outages can create inconvenience, even hardship, when you need to operate electrical equipment or appliances. Still, one aspect of dealing with an outage is easy -- reporting it to West Florida Electric Cooperative. Just remember "A-B-C."
Assist with information. WFEC’s service center personnel relies on accurate account information, such as your telephone number and location, to determine where to send crews to make repairs. To help WFEC restore your electric service as quickly as possible, make sure the Co-op has accurate, up-to-date information on your account before you experience an outage. The correct telephone number is especially important.
Be patient. Whether your outage is isolated or one of many, WFEC’s crews will need sufficient time to reach the site of the problem, determine its cause and make repairs.
When dealing with multiple outages, WFEC’s linemen work to restore electric service as quickly as possible to as many members as possible. If the outages are scattered, each crew begins restoring power to the affected area nearest them, but additional crews may be dispatched to cover more areas.
During extensive outages, such as those caused by a hurricane, crews clear and repair main lines from the substations first. So, the closer you are to a substation, the sooner you’ll have electric service. This is the quickest, most effective way to restore power.
Contact the Co-op. But before you call, make sure your main breaker is switched on. If it is, then find out, if possible, whether your neighbors are also without electricity. If you’ve lost power but all your neighbors’ lights are still on, you’ll likely speak with a live operator when you call WFEC to report the outage. However, during widespread outages, WFEC’s automated outage response system might answer your call (plus a dozen others at the same time). Simply follow the automated system’s recorded instructions.
By the way, WFEC can install a LINK meter for you that will automatically notify the Co-op when you lose power, even while you’re away. WFEC also offers various sizes of standby, portable and PTO-drive electric generators to power your necessary appliances and equipment while WFEC restores your electric service during an outage.
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