Frequently asked questions about outages
When should I call? / How long should I wait before calling back?
If you have an electrical outage, natural gas leak, or emergency, please call Puget Sound Energy's (PSE's) Customer Services at 1-888-225-5773.
Our restoration process depends on customer notifications to track and respond to electrical outages, natural gas leaks, and emergencies.
TIP: During large storms and emergencies, it can often be faster to use the automated telephone system to report power outages and recieve updated information. During widespread events, it may take several hours before estimated restoration times are available, while crews work to understand what repairs are needed. PSE regularly updates the recorded information on our phone system describing the outages and restoration efforts. Our customer service agents access the same system for outage and restoration information.
Is anybody working on the power in my area?
To get status, contact PSE's Customer Service at 1-888-225-5773. TIP: Our automated telephone service can provide updates specific to your address. These updates are taken from the same screens used by our customer service agents.
Who gets power first? (Why am I always the last to get power?)
Customer and employee safety is our objective. PSE crews start by clearing downed trees and eliminating safety hazards when a storm hits. With safety and effectiveness in mind, restoration operations are conducted in the following sequence:
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We give priority to community first responders (fire, police and hospitals.)
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We work on transmission lines that will provide power to the most people in the shortest restoration time.
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Distribution lines or equipment for individual neighborhoods are restored.
Why does my neighbor have power and I don't?
It may be that your neighbors are on a different circuit. When restoring power, priority is given to safety issues, community first responders, transmission systems providing the greatest coverage, and then individual homes. To report a problem or check the status of a power outage call PSE Customer Services at 1-888-225-5773.
There also could be damage to your home's electrical system after the meter. You may need to call a licensed electrician for help. Contact PSE's
Contractor Referral Service
for a free referral to a contractor.
Why don't you install all the lines underground?
Approximately 50 percent of PSE's distribution power lines in neighborhoods are buried underground. Due to the long-distance reach of transmission lines, which bring power supplies from generating sources to our region, the majority of PSE's transmission lines are overhead.
Due to their complexity, underground transmission lines are custom-made, which significantly increases the costs to customers for their design, installation and maintenance. PSE is open to consider burying more of our distribution and transmission lines where practical and reliable.