The fastest way to report a power outage is to call your utility company directly or use their outage reporting app. To track outages across your area in real time, PowerOutage.us pulls live data from over 1,000 utilities covering 96% of U.S. customers in one place.
PowerOutage.us has tracked every major storm outage event in the U.S. since 2016, monitoring 950+ utilities serving over 200 million customers. During Hurricane Milton in October 2024, the platform handled 1.8 million site requests per hour as Florida residents searched for answers. During Hurricane Helene just weeks earlier, PowerOutage.us tracked over 4.79 million customers without power at peak, across Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina. That kind of real-time scale is what separates a live outage map from a static news article.
How to report a power outage
Reporting an outage to your utility company is how crews get dispatched. PowerOutage.us tracks outage counts, but it doesn’t dispatch repair crews; your utility does.
Here's how to report effectively:
- Call your utility's outage line: Most utilities have a 24/7 dedicated outage number. Find it on your bill, their website, or the back of your meter.
- Use your utility's mobile app: Apps from utilities like Duke Energy, Dominion, ComEd, and FPL let you report outages and receive status updates without waiting on hold.
- Text your utility: Many utilities now accept outage reports via SMS. Check your provider's website for their text code.
- Use your utility's online outage map: Most utility outage maps have a "report outage" button tied to your account address.
One thing worth knowing: your utility's outage management system (OMS) can often go down during major events because of traffic overload. During large storms, tens of thousands of customers are calling simultaneously. If you can't reach your utility's website, that's often a sign the outage is already widespread and crews are already aware.
Also, know that your utility, reporting process, and outage map will vary depending on where you live.
How to track power outages in your area
Tracking an outage in real time means knowing how widespread it is, which helps you gauge how long you might be waiting.
PowerOutage.us is the leading real-time outage tracking platform in the country. We aggregate data from 950+ utilities with direct connections and refresh information every 10 minutes during live events. You can search by state, county, or utility name to see current customer outage counts and trends.
Tools available on PowerOutage.us for tracking:
- Live power outage map: Shows outages by state and county with customer counts updated continuously
- Utility-level data: Drill down to your specific utility to see how many customers are affected
- Outage alerts: Sign up for text or email alerts tied to your geographic area and a configurable outage threshold
- Historical outage data: See how past storms affected your region, which helps predict restoration timeframes (available to partners)
The PowerOutage.us platform tracks outage trends over time, not just point-in-time snapshots. That means you can watch outage counts go up or come down, which is a meaningful signal for restoration progress.
Another thing to know is that NOAA's weather radar overlay lets you correlate outages with active storm cells in real time, and it’s available on the PowerOutage.us utility dashboard during events. This can give you clues when outages are spreading ahead of a storm front, for example. If new outages are appearing in counties the storm hasn't hit yet, that often signals transmission-level damage rather than local line failures.
Using a power outage map
A power outage map shows where outages are occurring, how many customers are affected, and sometimes how long they've lasted. Not all outage maps are equal.
Your utility's map only shows its own service territory. PowerOutage.us shows the full picture: all utilities, all states, in a single view. During Winter Storm Fern in January 2026, over 1 million customers lost power across Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas within a 48-hour window. A single-utility map wouldn't show the regional scope of that event.
What to look for on a power outage map:
- Customer count vs. outage count: These are different. One "outage" can affect one customer or one thousand. Look at customer counts for impact.
- Trend direction: Is the number going up or down? Rising counts mean the storm is still causing damage. Falling counts mean restoration is underway.
- County-level detail: State-level data is useful, but county-level data shows whether your neighborhood is in a widespread affected zone or an isolated pocket.
The FEMA/Ready.gov power outage page recommends having multiple ways to get outage status updates, including apps, battery-powered radios, and web-based tracking tools.
How to track power outages during a major storm event
During active storm events, power outage counts can change by hundreds of thousands of customers in under an hour. PowerOutage.us saw this firsthand during Hurricane Milton's landfall in October 2024, when Florida went from 1 million to over 3.4 million customers without power in just a few hours.
During a storm, here's what's most useful:
- Refresh PowerOutage.us every 15 to 30 minutes to watch restoration trends after peak outage counts
- Follow @PowerOutage_US on X (Twitter) for real-time outage summaries during major events
- Check your state's emergency management website for restoration priority updates (hospitals and critical infrastructure are restored first)
- Sign up for outage alerts on PowerOutage.us to get notified when outages in your area cross a threshold
Crew mobilization is the biggest variable in storm restoration timing. The Edison Electric Institute coordinates mutual aid between utilities during large events, which is why crews from out-of-state often arrive during major hurricanes and other storms.
Here's a look at how PowerOutage.us tracked the widespread impact of Hurricane Helene across the Southeast:
When will power come back?
Restoration timing depends on what caused the outage and how many customers are affected. PowerOutage.us data from thousands of tracked events shows some reliable patterns.
Localized outages (under 1,000 customers): Often caused by a single downed line or equipment failure. Typical restoration is 2 to 6 hours if crews are not overwhelmed elsewhere.
Widespread storm outages (100,000+ customers): Restoration follows a tiered process. Transmission lines and substations come first because they restore power to the most customers fastest. Distribution lines come next, working outward to neighborhoods. Individual service drops come last.
Extended outages after major hurricanes: After Hurricane Ian, over 3.28 million Florida customers lost power. Full restoration to 99% of affected customers took until October 6, 2022, which was eight days after landfall. North Carolina, which saw 579,000 affected customers, largely recovered within four days.
Utility estimated restoration time
Your utility's estimated restoration time (ERT) is the most direct answer to "when will power come back." Look for it on their outage map, app, or automated phone line. ERTs are updated as crews assess damage in the field, so the estimate you see during the storm may be very different from the one you see 12 hours later.
One limitation worth knowing: ERTs are estimates, not guarantees. Crews often find more damage than initial aerial surveys show. If your estimated restoration time passes without actual power coming back, check PowerOutage.us to see if your area's outage count is still elevated, and call your utility to confirm your address is flagged in their system.
Preparing before the storm
Preparation before an outage hits is what helps you stay safe and informed during and after the storm. PowerOutage.us data from events like Winter Storm Fern and Hurricane Helene shows that extended outages affecting hundreds of thousands of customers aren’t rare, they're a regular pattern across different regions of the country.
Start with the basics. Our power outage emergency kit guide covers the core supplies every household needs:
- Flashlights
- Batteries
- Drinking water
- Non-perishable food
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- First aid
- Sanitation
- Charging backups
- Communication plan
These items matter most in the first 24 to 48 hours, before restoration reaches residential areas.
Medical equipment backup power is a separate and more urgent consideration. Devices like home oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines, and powered wheelchairs can stop working when the grid goes down and backup batteries run out. Many utilities maintain a medical baseline or life support registry that flags your address for priority restoration.
Backup power is worth planning before you need it. The two main options are home battery backup systems and fuel-powered generators, and they serve different needs.
Battery systems are quiet, safe for indoors, and well-suited for shorter outages or critical device charging. Generators produce more sustained power but require outdoor placement, fuel storage, and carbon monoxide awareness.
What to do while you wait for power to return
Knowing the outage scope and likely duration helps you make better decisions. PowerOutage.us gives you that context, but while you're waiting for power to return, there are practical steps to take.
- Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed: A full freezer stays safe for 48 hours. A refrigerator stays safe for about 4 hours with the door closed.
- Unplug major appliances: This protects them from power surges when electricity returns.
- Check on neighbors: Especially those who may depend on medical equipment or have mobility limitations.
- Don't use generators indoors: Carbon monoxide from a running generator can reach dangerous levels within minutes in an enclosed space.
Follow these outage safety tips and keep an eye on power outage maps to stay informed.
Quick recap
To sum up, reporting a power outage starts with calling your utility's outage line or using their app. Tracking it starts with PowerOutage.us. The platform monitors 950+ utilities in real time, so you can see how widespread an outage is, watch restoration progress, and know when to expect power back.