Power Outages
Deregulation
The Energy Use Process
Safety
Energy Saving Tips

   
 

 

Power Outages

What to do if an outage occurs

Determine whether the outage is in your home or the neighbourhood in general, and follow the guidelines below.

Things to try when an outage affects your home only:
  • Check your fuse box or circuit breaker.
  • If fuses have blown or circuits have tripped off, turn off or unplug the appliances or equipment on that circuit and replace the fuses or reset the breaker.
  • If power is not restored, call us at 658-5252 and press two for assistance.

Guidelines for a general outage:
  • Report the outage to Saint John Energy
  • In the winter turn down your thermostat, it is easier to restore power when the system is not overloaded.
  • Leave one light switched on so you will know when power has been restored.

Power Outage Reporting Procedure:
  • When an Electrical Emergency or Power Outage occurs call 658-5252, 24 hours a day.
  • Press one for Safety Hazard to Power Lines or Poles.
  • Press two for Power Outage.
  • Be prepared to provide the following information.
  • Your account number.
  • The civic address of the safety hazard or power outage.
  • A contact phone number, where you can be reached.
  • Is the power out in the entire house?
  • Do your neighbours have power?
  • Do you see a line down? (Never touch a downed power line).
  • Did you hear any loud noises or see sparks coming from Saint John Energy equipment?
  • Are you lights going bright and dim? (Turn off your main breaker, and call us immediately).

    • What Happens at Saint John Energy During An Outage?

    When an outage is reported to Saint John Energy Operations, our Customer Service Representatives log the information supplied by the caller, then inform the Distribution System Operator of the outage. If the outage is contained to a small number of customers, then a crew is immediately sent to the area affected, however during a major outage, supervisory staff are sent to investigate. They will determine what repairs are necessary, as well as the approximate duration of the unplanned outage.

    Customers can listen to recorded outage updates by calling 658-5252 or speak directly with a Customer Service Representative.

    As outlined in our Emergency Restoration Plan, restoration follows a priority system that targets essential services, hospitals and nursing homes first. After this, restoration is based on the number of homes and business affected.

    After notifying our Dispatcher of a power outage, our Operations Service Representatives receive periodic updates regarding the status of the restoration work. When the Dispatcher receives an update from the field, the Operations Service Representatives are notified.


    Planned Power Interruptions or Maintenance Outages

    Saint John Energy operates and maintains approximately 410 km of overhead lines and 105 km of underground distribution lines. To allow our crews to work safely and efficiently, it is sometimes necessary to interrupt power for a period of time while maintenance work is being performed.

    As a matter of routine, we make every effort to notify affected customers in advance of a planned outage, either by phone, radio, or a hand delivered notice. Our goal is to inform you about the outage so you can take whatever steps you feel necessary to cope with the interruption.

    Saint John Energy understands our customer's dependence on reliable electrical service and apologizes for any inconvenience that an interruption may cause.

    What Causes an Unplanned Outage?

    Unplanned outages are caused by a variety of reasons and can occur when you least expect them; here's a list of why most occur:
    • Weather - lightning, wind, rain, snow, and ice.
    • Equipment malfunction
    • Animal contact
    • Human error - underground digging, overhead lines torn down, traffic accidents, vandalism.
    • Miscellaneous - fire etc.

    Power Interruption Helpful Hints:
    • If you leave your home or business during an interruption, leave a light on that can be seen from the street. Our crews sometimes patrol areas to ensure all customers have their electricity back on.
    • If you plan to be away from home and want to ensure an unexpected power interruption hasn't spoiled the food in your freezer, place a bag of ice cubes inside the freezer before you go away. If you see the ice cubes have melted and refrozen, your food probably has as well - don't take any chances - empty your freezer immediately.
    • Devices that protect sensitive equipment from damage due to brief disturbances in electrical service are called Surge Suppressors. Surge suppressors are often confused with Power Bars. Power Bars are simply multiple-outlet extension cords. Some may have a circuit breaker but they do not normally suppress electrical surges, thus they do not provide protection for your valuable equipment. When choosing a surge suppressor make sure it provides protection for each of the three wires: Line to Ground, Line to Neutral and Neutral to Ground. Surge suppressors let-through certain voltages and are rated accordingly. A level of 330 volts is the standard.
    • · If a power line falls across your vehicle, stay inside until Saint John Energy removes the line. Stepping out of your vehicle onto the ground could be fatal if the fallen line is alive. If you must exit the vehicle, jump clear without touching the car and the ground at the same time. After jumping, move away without your feet leaving the ground. Keep your feet together and shuffle at least 10 meters away from the downed lines.

     

     

     

 

How It All Works Learn about " Electricity From Saint John Energy to You"
Utility Terms
A list of key utility terms

 

Did You Know ...
That one lightning strike is powerful enough to power 10,000,000 homes for one month!.
     

   Copyright ©2003 Saint John Energy. All Rights Reserved.