April 30, 2025 (Springfield News-Leader) –
As of
More than 140 CU lineworkers, including tree crews, contract and mutual aid crews, were working to restore power, according to CU, with crews prioritizing crews "outages to critical community facilities and those supporting public safety and health."
If you're a customer without power, here's how long repairs might take, what to do and some food safety tips.
When will power be back on?
In an
"This will be a prolonged restoration and repair event. There are numerous poles broken, significant damage to our distribution and transmission facilities and multiple trees down in our territory," said
What should I do if my power is out?
If you're without power and clearing debris, be wary of downed power lines, the utility said.
Additionally, residents also should visually inspect their weatherheads — the location where power lines connect to their home or business, most often a rounded, hood-like metal cap on top of a conduit pipe — for any signs of damage. Damaged weatherheads must be repaired by a licensed electrician before service can be restored.
If you are using a generator, operate it outside your home and garage to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Never plug a generator into an outlet, which could back-feed power lines and injury electrical line workers. Instead, plug necessary items directly into the generator.
What do I do if there's a new power outage?
CU customers can report outages through the City Utilities MyAccount app, online at www.CityUtilities.net or by calling 888-863-9001.
How long is food safe in the fridge and freezer without power?
Power outages can cause issues related to food quality, as well as food safety. To help preserve food, keep the freezer and fridge door closed. Each time you open it when your power is out, cold air escapes and your chances of food reaching room temperature increases.
According to the
SGCHD says you can re-freeze food in the freezer that is below 40 degrees or still has ice crystals. You can also add bags of ice or dry ice to the freezer if it seems like the power will be off for an extended period of time.
Additionally, do not taste food to try to determine if it's safe. Some foods may look and smell fine, but can harbor an amount of bacteria able to cause foodborne illness if it's been left at room temperature for longer than two hours.
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