Outage Center

Outage Map
Report an Outage
Safety
Outage Preparation
How Power is Restored
System Maintenance

Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative strives to keep outages to a minimum. Unfortunately though, they are going to happen but be assured that when the power does go out we are working to restore your electric service as safely and quickly as possible. Please use the information here to help be better prepared for when an outage happens and to know how to report your outage.

Outage Map

Outages happen, but you might not be alone. Click the button below to see if any outages have been reported.

View Outage Map

Report an Outage

In case of an Outage

  • Check all lights and appliances in your dwelling.
  • Check fuses or turn breakers off and on in panel box.
  • Check with neighbors to see if they have power.
  • Call CBEC at (800) 760-2232 to report outage. Advise CBEC if there are any medical emergencies or if a standby generator is in use.
  • Report any information, such as sparking wires, downed power lines, trees on lines, etc., that may assist CBEC in restoring power.
  • For your safety, do not touch any downed power lines. You should always assume that downed lines are energized.
  • When calling to report outage, provide: your name as it appears on your account, your telephone number, and your physical address. Your account number, which is found on your monthly bill, is also helpful.

During an Outage

  • Turn off large appliances to prevent damage once power is restored.
  • Disconnect sensitive appliances, such as VCR’s, televisions, computers, microwaves, etc., to avoid damage from lightning or power surges.
  • To prevent foods from spoiling, please refrain from opening your freezer and refrigerator. Foods contained in closed refrigeration will stay fresh for several hours.

Safety

Electrical Safety

University of Washington has an excellent Basic Electrical Safety page on their website. Click the button below to learn more about Electrical Safety

More Info

Power Line Safety

Texas Department of Insurance has great information about power line safety on their website. You can visit it by tapping the button below.

More Info

Storm Safety

Weather.gov has much more information about how to stay safe during and after a storm. Visit their storm safety page at the button below.

More Info

Generator Safety

The Red Cross has a great resource on safe generator operation. Visit their website at the button below.

More Info

Outage preparation

Don’t get caught in the dark. An ounce of preparation can pay off huge in the event of a power outage. We have a few tips you can use to make certain your family or business is ready for the next big storm.

Start here.

  • Flashlights and fresh batteries.
  • Battery-powered radio or TV and extra batteries.
  • Cell phone chargers (make sure your cell phone is fully charged).
  • Land-line phone with cord (cordless phones require electricity).
  • Battery-powered or windup alarm clock.
  • Supply of bottled water (one gallon per person per day).
  • Non-perishable foods that require no heating.
  • Blankets, bedding or sleeping bags.
  • First-aid kit and prescription medications.
  • Hand-operated can opener.
  • Special items for infants, the elderly or family members with special needs.
  • A variety of hand tools.
  • List of emergency and CBEC phone numbers.
  • Identification and copies of important family documents in a waterproof container.
  • Cash (ATMs may be unavailable).

Create a family emergency plan.

  • Discuss what to do in case of an emergency.
  • Bookmark CBECs Outage Center on your smart device.
  • When there is impending dangerous weather, fill your bathtub with water if your supply depends on electricity.
  • Make sure your cell phones are charged.
  • Protect and unplug electronic equipment.
  • Ensure your contact information is up to date with CBEC
  • If needed, register for CBEC's Serious Medical Condition Program (download the enrollment form and learn more).
  • If someone relies on life support equipment, identify an alternate location with power where they can go during an outage.
  • Fill up your vehicles with gas in the event that you need to evacuate or relocate to another area; and if you use a portable generator, fill up fuel cans.
  • Identify an evacuation route if needed.

How Power is Restored

System Maintenance

CBEC employees work every day to ensure your electricity is always available when you need it.

Upgrading Power Lines

CBEC regularly plans projects to upgrade power lines. Upgrades can more than double the capacity compared with the old lines. They also improve service reliability. In addition, these upgrades give crews the opportunity to restore service through load transfers, something that's not possible without replacing lines.

Rephasing Power Lines and Replacing Poles

CBEC and its contractors work to improve service to members by rephasing power lines and installing new utility poles. Where needed, crews replace poles, increasing the load capacity of power lines.

Maintaining Underground Power lines

CBEC installs underground power lines to serve members. The Cooperative monitors the performance of these cables and, as needed, proactively replaces them with new, better-designed conductors. The replacement cables have a longer life and are more reliable and cost effective.

Substation Maintenance

Each substation contains a wide array of equipment, including transformers, lightning arrestors, circuit breakers, insulators and more. A power transformer performs the heavy work, altering voltage as needed.

Substation technicians at CBEC perform a variety of tasks.

  • Regularly scheduled substation inspections and routine testing of equipment are required, as well as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), load management and automated meter reading (AMR) equipment installations.
  • Substation technicians also install and maintain substation equipment, install mobile substations, conduct calibration and testing of protective relays used in substations and maintain the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures plan of CBEC.
    In recent years, CBEC has installed state-of-the-art communication equipment in many of its substations.

System Inspections

CBEC uses ground patrol and aerial patrol as techniques to discover potential problem areas.

Inspections often find the following types of problems:

  • Pole tops weakened by woodpecker holes
  • Damaged insulators (e.g. insulator broken or flashed over) In recent years, CBEC has installed state-of-the-art communication equipment in many of its substations.
  • Blown arresters
  • Damaged or deteriorating conductor
  • Loose or broken hardware (e.g. damaged crossarms, bolts that have loosened, broken crossarm braces)
  • Dead or leaning trees that could fall and contact the line
  • Debris on wires or poles (helium balloons, dove decoys, trash)
  • Obstructions/encroachments within the right of way
  • Any activity within the right of way that may endanger the public
  • Trees that have fallen and may block urgently needed access to the lines
  • Storage of items within our right of way that could potentially be blown into the lines during high winds
  • Deer stands within the right of way or attached to poles