Austin Energy prepared for Ike

AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) -- Austin Energy is at full alert and ready for around-the-clock outage restoration should Hurricane Ike deliver violent weather to the Austin area.

Friday beginning at 10:00 p.m., Austin Energy will have 10 repair crews on duty split between our North and South Austin service centers standing by, ready to roll should outages begin to occur.

Should widespread outages occur, AE can deploy up to 40 repair crews and an equal number of contract tree-trimming crews with Austin Energy crews and support personnel working 16-hour days until power has been restored to all customers.

Every Customer should Report their outage

Should outages occur, it is important that every customer experiencing an outage report their outage by calling (512) 322-9100.

When an outage is reported, the respective address goes into the Austin Energy Outage Management System. That system reviews outage addresses to identify the piece of equipment or power line most likely the cause of each outage.

The more customers that call in, the better the system can pin point the cause of outages. This allows crews to be dispatched directly to a problem, rather than to an area where they must search for the problem.

(512) 322-9100 can handle call volume

The number to call to report an outage is (512) 322-9100. That number has an automated function that allows it to handle as many as 5,000 calls at once.

The very best way to input your outage into the Outage Management System is to input your PowerLink number when prompted. Your PowerLink number has 8-digits and is located in the right hand corner of your electric bill.

Customers are encouraged to keep a copy of their electric bill handy so they have their PowerLink number available should an outage occur. You can also register your outage at (512) 322-9100 by entering your telephone number.

However, the telephone number you enter must be the telephone number used when setting up your electric account. If you enter another telephone number, it will not be recognized and your outage will not be recorded in the system.

Downed power lines

Report downed power lines by calling (512) 322-9100.

Stay a minimum of 10 feet from any downed wire. A live wire touching the ground can cause electricity to travel through the ground for a short distance.

Do not attempt to remove a tree limb or other object from a power line. Electricity can travel through tree limbs, especially if they are wet.

If a power line falls on your car, do not approach or touch the vehicle. Fences can also become energized by downed power lines.

Tree trimming often required

During stormy weather, especially windy conditions, tree limbs on power lines are the most frequent cause of outages.

Very often, limbs must be trimmed away before repairs can be made. This is why in serious storms, outage restoration requires as many tree trimming crews as repair crews.