CPS Energy service area recovering after severe storms cause flooding, power outages

As residents made their morning commute on Tuesday, Sept. 4, our crews were busy responding to power outages throughout our service area. Lightning strikes, wires down and blown transformers affected the power going to 5,588 customers before 9:30 a.m. By 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 5, we were working to get the power back on for only three customers. This is truly a testament to our dedicated crews and the CPS Energy system operators who actively monitor weather conditions so they are ready to respond to our community as storms roll in.

“CPS Energy worked diligently to restore power for our customers yesterday,” said Rudy Garza, Senior Vice President of Distribution Services & Operations for CPS Energy. “Heavy rain and traffic conditions impacted our crews’ mobility and we worked safely to restore power to those impacted. We will continue to monitor the weather as storms hover over our service area.”

The combination of rain and lightning contributed to multiple challenges to ensuring reliable service to the utility’s customers. The heavy rain can lead to cars hitting our infrastructure, in addition to bringing down debris from trees that can hit or fall on power lines. Lightning can strike transformers, utility poles, high lines or other equipment. All may result in a power outage.

Crews have to be careful with flooded areas and traffic, and they’re susceptible to the same restrictions as any other driver in San Antonio. Access to certain areas can be cumbersome due to fallen trees and other obstructions. For a complete map of current outages or answers to frequently asked questions, please visit cpsenergy.com. With more rain expected throughout the week, CPS Energy offers the following tips during power outages:

• Avoid downed power lines! Treat all wires as if they are “live” (energized). Report damaged lines to CPS Energy call 210353-HELP (4357), immediately.
• Keep at least one light turned on to help you realize when power has been restored.
• Keep refrigerator or freezer doors closed to maintain the unit’s temperature. The USDA says a refrigerator will keep food safely cold for up to four hours if unopened. Discard refrigerated, perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers, and deli items if the power has been out for more than 4 hours.
• Use caution when driving, as traffic signals may be disrupted.