Stay Ahead of the Storm

Calling to Report an Outage

Before calling to report an outage, call your neighbor to see if their power is out also. This can help you determine if the outage is a household problem or not.

Checklist of Do’s

• Check all circuit breakers or fuses to make sure that the outage is not a household problem.
• Turn off any major appliances that might have been on when the outage occurred, including your heating system. Make sure to leave one light on so that you will know when your power is restored. Then, turn on large appliances one at a time.
• Inspect the area outside your home near the meter. If the meter or any of the piping and wires on the side of your house look damaged or are missing, call an electrician.
• Have plenty of flashlights, portable radios, and fresh batteries on hand.
• Have plenty of bottled water available.
• Only burn candles when adults are present and keep them away from flammable materials.
• Keep a freshly charged fire extinguisher nearby.

Safety Checklist of Don’ts

• Never use an outdoor lantern inside your home.
• Do not go to sleep without blowing out any candles.
• Never touch or even go near a fallen utility line. You should always assume that any fallen line is carrying electricity. If a fallen line has come into contact with an object, do not touch that object. Call Ashley-Chicot immediately to report any downed lines: 800-281-5212.
• Never operate heaters or fuel-fired cook stoves without proper ventilation.
• Do not burn charcoal indoors because it releases carbon monoxide.

Heat

During a winter outage, your house can stay warm for several hours. Having a well insulated house, storm windows and sealing your windows will help keep your home warmer. Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible.

Water

If you have prior notice of the storm, fill your bathtub and spare containers with water. This way you will have plenty for drinking, cooking and washing until service is restored.

Food

Food will stay frozen between 36 to 48 hours in a fully-loaded freezer if you keep the door shut. If the freezer is only half-full, the food will keep for 24 hours. During winter months you can store food in an unheated garage or outside in a cooler.

What is Ashley-Chicot doing to manage major storms?

Ashley-Chicot Electric continually monitors national and local weather reports. This allows us to be a step ahead of the storm by having plenty of staff available for restoration before the storm even hits.

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

It is impossible to accurately predict when your power will be back on due to many factors and challenges we face. Ashley-Chicot promises that we will get your power back on as soon as we can.

Where can I find information on the restoration efforts?

Ashley-Chicot works hard to keep its members informed during an outage. We send updates out to the local news media several times a day during major outages. Listening to the radio would be your best bet if you are without power. Remember to have an emergency kit handy, equipped with a battery-operated radio and fresh batteries.

Backup Generators

Some members use backup or standby generators to provide power during outages. Ashley-Chicot needs to know if you are using a backup generator because of safety hazards they can pose to line workers and to you. Be sure to have your generator installed by an electrician and be sure that it has a manual transfer switch to isolate the device from the power grid. If they are not properly isolated power can flow back to the power line, causing harm to the line workers. Also, if the circuits are not properly isolated this can cause the generator to overheat, which could lead to an electrical fire in your home. The most common isolation method is to install a double-throw, double-pole transfer switch. If you do not have a load transfer switch installed, plug appliances and lamps directly into the generator.

Please notify us if you are using a backup generator.

Why do my neighbors have power but I don’t?

Generally, this means your neighbors are served by a different electrical circuit and/or transformer from a different direction than you are.

Who is responsible for clearing trees and limbs that are contacting power lines?

Ashley-Chicot personnel and contractors conduct tree trimming throughout the year to keep power lines free of limbs and debris. Our crews do not remove fallen limbs or branches from your property following a storm.

Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or debris away from power lines. If you have any limbs that you feel might knock down a power line please call Ashley-Chicot at 800-281-5212 to report it.

Will Ashley-Chicot Electric reimburse me for the cost of meat and other groceries that spoil in my freezer and refrigerator?

No. Electric service is subject to occasional interruptions due to causes beyond Ashley-Chicot control. Ashley-Chicot is not liable for spoiled food or other financial losses caused by such interruptions. While Ashley-Chicot (like any other electric service provider) cannot guarantee service that is free of interruptions, we strive to provide the most reliable electric service possible.

Personal Emergency Plans

Individuals who rely on electrically powered oxygen or other medical equipment should always have their own personal backup plan for coping with power outages and other potential emergencies. While Ashley-Chicot works hard to provide reliable electric service it cannot guarantee the power will never fail.

If your life or the life of a loved one depends on electricity, you need to develop a personal emergency response plan.

NOTE: Even members whose accounts have been marked as critical need to have their own backup plans for coping with power outages. The critical designation is only intended to ensure that Ashley-Chicot Electric provides such members with advance notice of planned maintenance outages. Ashley-Chicot Electric is unable to provide priority restoration to critical designated members during emergencies.