Next Steps After Power Restoration

Power's back! Here's what's next

Identifying nested outages

As we continue bringing more communities online, please note we may still see nested outages and will continue repairs until all customers have been restored. 

What causes nested outages

• Localized damage: A tree might have taken down a secondary line or transformer serving just a few homes. These issues are downstream of the feeder and need separate repairs.
• Blown fuses or faulted equipment: A fuse on a tap line (a smaller branch off the feeder) may have blown, isolating a few homes.
• Service line issues: The line from the pole to your house might be damaged or disconnected.
• Meter or panel problems: Sometimes the issue is on the customer’s side, like a damaged meter base or breaker panel. If your weatherhead, meter box, or service mast is damaged, we can’t safely restore your power until those parts are repaired. You’ll need to call a licensed electrician to fix them first. Once that’s done, let us know and we’ll reconnect your service as soon as it’s safe. See otpco.com/outages to learn more.
• Manual isolation: Crews may intentionally isolate certain areas for safety or repair sequencing.

Understanding what's ours and what's yours

After a storm or other natural disaster, it’s important to know who’s responsible for fixing what when it comes to your electric service. If we’ve restored power to your community, but you’re still without electricity, the issue may be specific to your location.

What we own:

• The service line that runs from the power pole or underground transformer to your home.
• The electric meter that tracks your electricity use.
• Poles, transformers, and wires up to the point where they connect to your home.

What customers own:

• The weatherhead and service mast (that metal pipe on your roof or side of your house where the wires connect).
• The meter box or socket that holds the electric meter, along with the ground wire and rod.
• Your home’s electrical panel and all the wiring inside your house.

If your weatherhead, meter box, or service mast is damaged, we can’t safely restore your power until those parts are repaired. You’ll need to call a licensed electrician to fix them first. Once that’s done, let us know and we’ll reconnect your service as soon as it’s safe.