Prepare Your Home

Are you prepared for a power outage? Make sure you have an outage kit ready and know what steps to take.

As Oregon’s climate changes, the more extreme conditions can increase the likelihood of storms and power outages. But if we’re all prepared, an outage can be a little easier to get through.

Stay in the know

Safety and outage alerts are at your finger tipsliterally, with just a tap or two on your mobile device. Here’s how:

  • Download the PGE app from the Apple App Store or get it on Google Play to receive up-to-date outage info, report an outage and access your PGE account.

  • We’ll text alerts to the phone number associated with your PGE account so be sure to update your contact information.

  • Check out our outage map (also accesible on non-mobile devices) for information on who's been impacted, where we're at in the restoration process and when you can expect the power to be back on.

Create a storm outage kit

Gather what you'll need and make sure everyone in the house knows where to find it. Here are a few basic items, and you'll find a more robust checklist here.

  • Flashlights or headlamps

  • Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and clock or watch

  • Extra batteries 

  • Car chargers for cell phones, laptops and/or tablets

  • Bottled water for people and animals (if you rely on electricity to pump water)

  • Emergency phone numbers, including PGE Customer Service: 503-228-6322. Our customer service advisors can assist you in 200+ languages.

Make a plan

These days, it's smart to prepare for those "once in a decade" weather events that seem to be happening more and more often. Plan for household needs and gather what you’ll need to stay warm, fed and comfortable for several days. The outage kit checklist has a planning checklist, but you can start here for the basics:

  • Know where you'll go: Plan ahead to relocate with a friend, family member or to a shelter, especially if you have a medical condition that requires electricity or you'll need to work or learn from home

  • Plan for feeding and watering pets or livestock, if well pumps don't have power

  • Consider buying a backup generator and follow manufacturers' guidelines for its safe operation

  • Get more information from the Red Cross and Ready.gov

Plan for medical needs

We encourage customers with medical needs and facilities that care for vulnerable populations and depend on electricity for medical equipment to have a backup source of power and contingency plans in the event of an outage.

  • Plan for medical needs so you can still power medical equipment during an outage.

  • Enroll in our Medical Certificate program, this lets us know where there are critical needs so we can proactively communicate with you about outages.

  • Plan ahead to relocate with a friend, family member or to a shelter if needed.

  • Consider buying a backup generator and follow manufacturers' guidelines for its safe operation.

Warming shelter information

If extreme weather or cold means you need a place to get warm, find information by county at 211info.org.

We have ways to help small businesses prepare for outages, too.

Backup generators

Generators can be a convenient backup during a power outage when used correctly. Review safety tips to protect yourself and our crews.

Surge Protection

Understand power surges and surge protection options to help prevent equipment damage.