Frequently Asked Outage Questions

Why do my neighbors have power when I don't?

Your neighbors may be on a different distribution line, or the transformer that serves your residence may be different from theirs. The problem may be a blown fuse or a damaged service wire in your home.

What if I only have electricity in part of my house?

Circuit breakers and fuses route power to the different parts of your home. When one room has electricity, and another doesn't, it might be because a circuit breaker was tripped or a fuse was blown. First, go to your electric panel and try to fix the problem yourself by flipping the breaker switch or replacing a fuse. If the breaker and fuse are working, the service wires to your house may be damaged. In that case, report an outage online or text OUTAGE to 743674 (RIEMSG).

What are the most common causes of power outages?

Trees cause most power outages. Storms, strong winds, and floods also cause outages. Car accidents and animals can also damage utility poles and transformers. Whatever the cause, we will do our best to restore your power as quickly as possible. Occasionally, we will schedule a planned outage so our crews can make repairs or upgrades. In those cases, we try to work during off hours, and you will be notified in advance.

What if I have electricity problems not due to a storm or general outage?

If you are experiencing flickering lights, please report the issue online or text OUTAGE to 743674 (RIEMSG). A certified electrical contractor may need to check your home electrical system. Until the problem is resolved, you can stay safe by unplugging nonessential appliances or limiting their use.

How do I use the Outage Map?

The outage map allows you to view how many outages are in and around your area and restoration estimates. The time listed represent when the last person in your town, area, or village will have power restored. For the most accurate information, log in to your account to view your estimated restoration time.

Why can't you tell me exactly when my power will be restored?

We work as quickly as possible to get you back up and running. Estimating the time of power restoration is not an exact science. Work volume, the cause of the outage, and the extent of the damage can all affect our time estimates. Storms can cause widespread damage to our entire distribution system. High-voltage transmission lines are given priority because they supply electricity to our entire system. Next, we focus on substations and local distribution lines that serve multiple locations. From there, individual power service can be restored.

Learn about our restoration process

Why did my power come back on, then go off again?

Restoring power to your home is a complex and dangerous job. We may make a repair in one place, only to have damage down the line cause the power to go out again. We may also need to temporarily turn your power off to ensure our crew's safety. If your power continues to go on and off after we have made repairs, please report an outage online or text OUTAGE to 743674 (RIEMSG).

What are your priorities when restoring power?

Once we’ve ensured the safety of both our crews and the community, we clear all potential hazards such as downed wires, leaning utility poles, damaged transformers, and blocked roads. Our restoration process is as follows:

• First, we assess our overall system and repair the major lines, and substations that carry power from us to you.
• We prioritize the repairs that will return service to the largest number of customers in the shortest amount of time, then move on to the next largest number, and so on, until power is restored to everyone.
• We repair major streets before we focus on smaller streets. That’s because damaged substations, main electric lines, and transformers are located on major arteries that feed power to smaller streets and neighborhoods.
• Finally, we repair downed or damaged wires between utility poles and your home. Stay away from these until we can clear your area for safety.

Why does it seem to take so long to restore my power?

Sometimes your circuit may be among the first repaired, and other times it may take longer to get to you. When there is a delay in restoring your power, please know that we are doing everything we can. We thank you for your patience.

Why did a service truck go through my neighborhood without stopping to restore my power?

Our service crews must first tackle public safety hazards and make repairs to restore power for hospitals or police and fire departments. A truck may have passed your home on the way to one of these high-priority assignments.

Your crews are idling in parking lots and don't appear to be doing any work. Why?

Coordination is key to our storm response. Our crews follow specific, targeted guidance to make their response most efficient. There are a variety of reasons you may see crews idling, including:

• They may be awaiting authorization for work that needs to be completed before it is safe for them to re-energize an area, and they are on stand-by to be ready as soon as needed.
• They may have just cleared one call and are awaiting orders for their next.
• Crews are often awaiting further instruction while supervisors assess what needs to be restored.

Why don't I see any crews in my area?

Our electrical distribution system does not recognize town lines. The electricity source on which we may be working might not be in your town. Not every town has a supply line in their community. Crews may also be working in off-road areas or on sub-transmission lines that feed our distribution systems.

Why don't you bury all of your infrastructure?

While in some cases it makes sense to install electrical infrastructure underground, it would not be a cost-effective or feasible solution to replace all overhead wires with underground services. Putting electrical infrastructure underground is extremely costly and still has its own weather-related challenges. Major storms can cause water to get into underground infrastructure that can result in outages. It can take longer to find the cause of an underground outage and repair it. Repairs can also involve digging up streets. Underground infrastructure requires special permission for manholes, duct banks, transformer pads, switchgears, and other associated equipment.

What does it mean when my estimated restoration time says, "under investigation?"

During a storm, crews can visit and survey many locations. At each site, crews must determine the degree of damage and identify what repairs and equipment will be required to restore power. Once those details are available, our team evaluates the information and prioritizes the restoration work based on the locations of critical facilities, like hospitals and shelters, and other community priorities. Safety is our priority, and crews will only restore power when conditions are safe.

If the power goes out, do I need to throw out the food in my refrigerator?

Try to leave the refrigerator and freezer doors closed during a power outage. Refrigerated food can stay cool for six to nine hours. Frozen food can remain safe for up to 24 hours.

Does Rhode Island Energy supply generators to customers?

No, we do not supply generators. Sometimes local fire departments may offer generators to customers. Please contact your fire department for more information.

Why does it seem like customers of another utility do better in storms?

Comparing the performance of utilities after a major storm is not a like-for-like comparison. Many factors impact restoration efforts, including damage, the complexity of repairs, public safety/emergency response needs, etc. A major storm impacts various areas of a region in many different ways. One utility’s service area may not have been as hard hit as another’s. Additionally, infrastructure damage can vary greatly.

Does Rhode Island Energy pay for personal property damaged in a power outage?

No. We do not reimburse customers for property damage caused by storms, acts of nature, or when we are required to turn off power in the interest of public safety. Please contact your insurance company to learn about your coverage options.