CPS Energy prepares for severe weather

With severe storms predicted for Bexar County on Wednesday night, CPS Energy personnel are once again gearing up for what could be a busy night. Heavy downpours with lightning and high winds are expected to hit the utility’s service territory later this evening. “In anticipation of widespread power interruptions caused by heavy rains and strong winds we have positioned ourselves to serve this community with restoration efforts,” said Rick Maldonado, senior director customer reliability. “We are prepared to work though the evening to ensure we execute our People First philosophy by responding safely and quickly to power outages.”

Severe storms on Tuesday evening caused nearly 34,000 outages across CPS Energy’s service territory. By Wednesday morning, nearly all of those outages were restored.

CPS Energy reminds our customers that power outages can be reported at cpsenergy.com by using their smart devices and clicking on Outage Center.

Customers can prepare for power outages at home by:

• Locating flashlights and ensuring they have fresh batteries;
• Charging their phones, laptops or other electronic devices;
• Updating their alert preferences through Manage My Account on cpsenergy.com; this will keep them informed as to the status of their power outage.

During a power outage, customers should:

• Stay informed by viewing the latest outage information on CPS Energy’s outage map and receiving updates through Facebook and Twitter.
• Stay away from downed power lines! Treat all wires as if they are “live” (energized). Report damaged power lines immediately by calling 911 and CPS Energy at 353-4327.
• Protect electronic devices such as televisions, stereos, computers, printers with a power strip equipped with a surge protector to avoid sudden spikes and surges that could damage electrical devices when power is restored.
• Keep one light turned on to know when power has been restored.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to keep food cold longer. According to the American Red Cross, an unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold for about 4 hours. Also, a full freezer will keep the temperature for 48 hours if the door remains closed.
• Use caution with candles and generators, carefully placing them so as not to create a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.
• Use caution when driving, as traffic signals may be disrupted. Turn around don’t drown.

To report an outage, call 353-HELP (4357). To view a near real-time map of affected areas, visit cpsenergy.com and click on Outage Center.

Media Questions 24/7: CPS Energy Public Relations, (210) 353-2344