OREGON POWER OUTAGES & HOW TO PREPARE

Create an outage kit and make sure everyone in your home knows where to find it. Below are a few basic items:

• Flashlights or headlamps

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and clock or watch

• Battery-powered or hand-held fans

• Extra batteries

• Car chargers for cell phones, laptops and/or tablet computers

• Bottled water for people and animals (if you rely on electricity to pump water)

• Frozen cold packs or water frozen in bags or plastic bottles (keep ready in your freezer)

• Emergency phone numbers

Find your full power outage checklist here.

Summer safety-related outages are different than winter outages. Plan for household needs and gather what you’ll need to stay cool, fed and hydrated.

• Plan ahead to relocate with a friend, family member or to a shelter, especially if you have a medical condition that requires electricity or you’ll need to work or learn from home during an outage

• Plan for feeding and watering pets or livestock, if well pumps don’t have power

• Consider buying a backup generator and follow manufacturers’ guidelines for its safe operation

• Plan your evacuation route if needed (see your county’s evacuation guide)

• Create a line of defense around your home

• Get more information from the National Fire Protection Association, The Red Cross, and Ready.gov

Find a full planning checklist here.

Oregon residents with medical needs and facilities that care for vulnerable populations and depend on electricity for medical equipment need to have a backup source of power and contingency plans in the event of an outage.

• Plan for medical needs so you can still power medical equipment during an outage.

• Enroll in our Medical Certificate program, this lets us know where there are critical needs so we can proactively communicate with you about outages.

• Plan ahead to relocate with a friend, family member or to a shelter if needed.

• Consider buying a backup generator and follow manufacturers’ guidelines for its safe operation.

In the event of a power outage, having backup power can be crucial to the safety of you and your family. To ensure you are safe and have backup power, consider some of the following:

• Have extra batteries on hand for flashlights, radios, fans, cellphones, and other vital tools. 

• Invest in a backup generator to power larger appliances and medical equipment.

• Install battery backup to power large appliances and provide longer-term security.

• Pair your battery backup with solar panels, which can recharge your battery backup and help withstand longer power outages.

Learn more about solar and battery backup here.