24 Hour Emergency Outage Service
Report outages instantly by logging into SmartHub. (Download the free SmartHub app to access your account from your mobile device.) You can also report an outage at (541) 746-1583 anytime, day or night.
We do our best to ensure you have as few service interruptions as possible, but sometimes weather conditions or car accidents cause the power to go out.
This page contains information on safety tips and additional information on how to properly prepare for an outage. View the outage map below to check for outages in your area. For outage alerts and updates, you can also follow EPUD’s Facebook account.
Don’t see your address on the map? Check if EPUD is your utility.
NOTE: The outage map will be unavailable on Friday, September 4, between 9 AM and 12 PM, while routine maintenance is performed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Watch EPUD’s Steps to Restoring Power video below:
Watch EPUD’s 2024 Ice Storm Recovery video below:
When the Power Goes Off
NEVER go near or touch a downed power line. Power lines can be live even if they don’t look like they are, and they can deliver a deadly shock.
NEVER wire a portable generator directly into your electrical panel. Doing so can back-feed electricity to EPUD’s system and create a dangerous situation for line crews working to restore power. It could also cause a surge in your home strong enough to seriously injure or kill you or a family member.
- Check the outage map above to determine if power is out in your area.
- If your area is not shown on the map as being affected by an outage, we suggest that you check your electrical panel for tripped breakers and tripped main breakers. Try to reset the breakers by switching them off. This might require you to push hard to the left, and then firmly to the right.
- If the electrical panel isn’t the source of the problem, report your outage by logging into your account on SmartHub (online at https://epud.smarthub.coop/ui/#/login or with the free SmartHub mobile app, available on App Store and Google Play). This is the fastest way to report an outage. You can also report your outage by phone 24 hours a day at (541) 746-1583. Listen to the outgoing message to see if we are already aware of an outage in your area. If we know of an outage, we will update the message to include the location and estimated time of repair as soon as that information is available.
- Turn off major appliances. The water heater and heating system breakers must be turned off to avoid overloading your circuits and/or damaging the units when the power is restored. Unplug any voltage-sensitive equipment, like computers or televisions. If you are not already using surge protectors to protect voltage-sensitive equipment, we recommend that you start.
- Switch on an outside light. This can assist our crews in determining whether or not your power has been restored.
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Food in a refrigerator will last 12 to 24 hours if the doors are kept closed. A full freezer can last 24 to 48 hours.
- Listen to radio reports. Keep either a battery-operated or battery-free (hand-crank) radio on hand for emergencies.
Additional Resources
- Tips for Extended Outages
- Refrigerated Food Safety During Power Outage
- Frozen Food Safety During Power Outage
- Be 2 Weeks Ready, as recommended by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. Visit their website to learn how to make an emergency kit; include enough food, water, and supplies for your entire household; and prepare an emergency plan to keep you and your loved ones safe.
- Sign up for Lane Alerts to receive emergency notifications for the areas that are important to you.
Steps to Restoring Power
View our Steps to Restoring Power (PDF).
Outage FAQ’s
Report an outage by logging into your account via SmartHub, Emerald's payment and account management system. (Download the free SmartHub mobile app to access your account from your mobile device. Available on App Store® and Google Play™.) Using SmartHub is the fastest way to get your outage reported. You can also report an outage by phone, 24 hours a day, at 541-746-1583.
We do our best to ensure you have as few service interruptions as possible, but sometimes weather conditions or car accidents cause the power to go out. For large and widespread outages, you can find alerts and updates on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/emeraldpud).
Power outages are most commonly caused by bad weather, trees contacting electric lines or equipment, motor vehicle accidents affecting electric equipment or facilities, equipment failure, or damage done by animals. Also, faulty wiring and equipment within your building can cause a localized power outage.
Check your fuses and circuit breakers. Make sure that everyone in your family knows where the breaker box is located and how to handle fuses and breakers. If this isn't the source of the problem, report the outage by logging into your account via SmartHub, Emerald's payment and account management system. (Download the free SmartHub mobile app to access your account from your mobile device. Available on App Store® and Google Play™.) Using SmartHub is the fastest way to get your outage reported. You can also report an outage by phone, 24 hours a day, at 541-746-1583.
Turn off your electric water heater (usually the top left-hand circuit breaker) and unplug any solid-state electrical equipment (microwave, VCR, TV) so that it won't be damaged by a power overload when the electricity comes back on. Turn on your porch light or other outside light so that when our crews are in the area they can more easily see which houses have power and which don't. It also helps them know when and where the power is back on.
Once we are aware of the outage, an EPUD employee is immediately sent to patrol the outage area and identify the problem. The employee takes action to isolate the problem and restore power to as many customers as possible. Depending on the problem, a crew may have to be called to work on repairs.
Outage lengths vary, depending on the severity of the problem. EPUD will change its outage phone message to include all areas affected by outages and the estimated times of repair (if available). We strive to update the message within 30 minutes of the first outage notification. The outage map will also be updated. For large or widespread outages, updates will be posted on EPUD's Facebook page.
When a major power outage occurs, restoring electric service is often a complicated process. Damage to the utility's electric distribution system that is caused by wind, snow, ice, lightning, or other severe weather conditions usually is not isolated to one specific area. Under these conditions, EPUD’s primary objective is to get the power back on for everyone in the most systematic, efficient, and safe manner. That's why we use the TSDS system:
- (T) Transmission lines
- (S) Substations
- (D) Distribution lines
- (S) Service lines
When a widespread power outage occurs, the first location that service crews check is the substation. The substation is the source from which all power is distributed. Service crews then start working their way out along the main distribution lines, or "feeders." These main feeders are repaired first, followed by the lines serving groups of homes, and finally, repairs at individual homes are made. View our Steps to Restoring Power (PDF).
Generators must be installed properly or they can back-feed through the service line to the distribution lines, causing a serious safety hazard for the crews restoring power. Generators should be connected to the building's electrical system using an approved transfer switch. The alternative is to plug selected appliances and equipment directly into the generator.