Power Outages

A woman sitting with her hands up without power

In case your electricity goes out, please do the following:

See if there is a digital display of flashing numbers on the meter. If there is, you have power up to your meter and the problem is likely on your side of the meter.
Call your neighbor to see if they are out of power. If they don’t have power, report that also when you call in.
If your neighbor has power, check your fuses or breakers in your home or shop to see if they have blown or tripped. Also check your fuses or breakers at the yard pole or meter pedestal. If you call RLEC and the problem causing the outage is on your side of the meter caused by your breakers, fuses or wiring, etc. you will be charged a service call. After hour calls will be billed at the overtime service call rate.
If the fuses or breakers are good, call the Red Lake Electric Cooperative office during working hours at (800) 245-6068 or (218) 253-2200 after office hours.

A house at night time with a generator in front

If you are connecting a generator to use during a power outage, make sure it is connected using a “double throw” switch and ensure the generator is properly grounded. This switch assures that electricity from your standby generator will not “back-feed” into the electric system. “Back-feed” is a dangerous condition for lineworkers and your neighbors.

Food in a refrigerator and a thermometer checking the temperature

If you are experiencing a power outage, keep refrigerators and freezers closed during the length of the outage to help minimize food loss and reduce your risk of illness. Opening them to see if the food is “okay” will only make food spoil quicker. A full freezer will hold its temperature for 48 hours and a refrigerator will keep food safe for four hours.

Even if your neighbor told you they called in an outage, it is good for you to call too. Even though a section of line may be off, there could be problems at your service location that could persist even after the line is back on. There are instances where members on different sides of the road are supplied power from separate connections or circuits.

What to do if you have partial power:

If you have partial power, this may be an indication of an overload or defective appliance. Check your breakers or fuses, as they are safety devices to cut off power to an electrical circuit if it becomes dangerously overloaded or if a short circuit occurs. When you find the cause, reset the breaker or replace the fuse. It may be necessary to call an electrician.
Please keep in mind, if we dispatch a line crew to respond to your outage call and find the trouble is with your own electric service, you will be charged for a service call as RLEC is not responsible for problems on the member’s side of the meter.

Power Outages

Be prepared and informed in the event of an outage.

In case your electricity goes out, please do the following:

What to do if you have partial power: