Power still out in Sacramento? As SMUD works to turn lights back on, here’s what to know
As Sacramento battles another round of windy rain storms, losing power for a couple of hours has become the new normal as the area enters its third week of consistent heavy rainfall and severe wind gusts.
Many have gone more than 24 hours without electricity.
As of Monday afternoon, SMUD has restored power to more than 300,000 people and yet there are still more than 700 active power outages and roughly 30,000 customers without electricity. Those most affected reside in Arden Arcade, Carmichael, East Sacramento, downtown Sacramento, Florin, Land Park and North Sacramento.
The threat isn’t over yet as the Sacramento region is expecting more strong winds Monday night and rain throughout the week.
Sacramento Municipal Utility District board member Gregg Fishman wrote on Facebook on Sunday that it could take days before everyone has power again because the outages are so complex.
“But again, with so many outages, so widespread, and with different types of problems causing the outages,” he wrote, “it could be a long time before everybody is back online.”
Some outages,” SMUD wrote on its Twitter page “can take more time because of the severity caused to the equipment.”
In response to the heavy rainfall and gusty winds that have uprooted trees and destroyed power lines, SMUD doubled its crew, some coming from neighboring utility companies, to help restore power to customers as quickly as possible.
The reality is, there’s not much those without power can do other than wait it out.
In a message to some customers experiencing outages Sunday night, SMUD said it could take up to a week to get power back on.
Why does my Sacramento neighbor have power and I don’t?
Not having power is frustrating, especially when you notice that you may be the only one on your block going without lights and a working stove.
It’s possible that your power is out and your neighbor’s is not. The reason: Their property’s electricity is funneled though a different distribution circuit than yours.
“There are several circuits in a given vicinity,” SMUD wrote on Twitter “so one can be out while the others may still be on.”
My power has been out for more than 24 hours
Power outages are a waiting game and the severity of Sacramento’s weather doesn’t help.
High winds and heavy rain means extended power outages are expected. As workers continue to repair damages and restore power to customers across the Sacramento region, be sure to report any changes and be safe.
Here are a couple of food and generator safety tips, provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, as thousands of people continue to go without power across the region:
- Food will remain safe in a closed freezer for up to 48 hours, 24 hours if the freezer is half-full
- Food will remain safe in a closed refrigerator for four hours
- Don’t taste food to test if it’s spoiled, throw it away
- Don’t use a generator indoors, in small spaces or poorly ventilated areas
- Keep generators outside away from flammable items including dry grass
- Keep a fire extinguisher handy
- Be sure to have a working fire alarm and carbon monoxide detectors
Remember: Generators become hot during and after use. Use appropriate size extension cords and never run cords under rugs or carpet. Position your generator where exhaust can vent safely to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Never connect a backup power system to another power source.
This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 2:57 PM.