Storms, Outages and Safety

Prepare for stormy weather in advance with PG&E safety tips

Your safety is our first concern. There are many ways to prepare and keep safe during a storm. Learn how by reading our helpful tips.

Stay away from downed power lines

Assume downed power lines are energized and dangerous. Stay away from the lines and keep others away from them. Call 9-1-1 immediately to report the location of a downed line. After reporting the downed line, call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

Prepare for power outages

Take steps now to stay safe in the event of a power outage:

Keep a battery-operated flashlight and radio within easy reach. Ensure those items are always accessible and that your batteries are fresh. Listen for updates on storm conditions and power outages.
Use safer LED candles. Wax candles are not recommended.
Plan for another way to communicate. Don’t depend on a phone that requires electricity to communicate. Keep a standard handset or mobile phone ready as a backup.
Store water-filled plastic containers in your freezer. You can use them as blocks of ice to prevent food from spoiling.

Discover other storm safety tips

We want to help you prevent further damage during a storm or outage. Follow these safety tips:

Avoid flooded locations and areas with downed trees. Both are typical places for downed lines to occur. Remember, call 9-1-1 first to report downed lines.
Hire a licensed electrician to install your generator. Improperly installed generators can be dangerous for you, your family and our crews.
Unplug or turn off all appliances during an outage. This action can help avoid overloading circuits when the power is restored.
Leave a single lamp on to alert you when the power returns. When the power is restored, you can begin to turn your appliances on, one at a time.

Report power outages to PG&E

Power outages can be an unfortunate result of storm activity. Use the following steps to discover and report power outages in your area:

Find out whether your neighbors are affected by the outage. Sometimes, the power is out only on your property.
Check your circuit breakers and fuse boxes. This action can help you identify whether the problem is limited to your home. The power may be fixable with a few resets.
Report outages in your home or neighborhood to PG&E. Call our 24-hour Power Outage Information Center at 1-800-743-5002.
Learn the status of your outage. We can also provide an estimated timeframe for restoring your power. Call our 24-hour Power Outage Information Center at 1-800-743-5002.

PLEASE NOTE: Our phone lines can become very busy during major storms. We ask for your patience if you’re trying to reach us.