Storm Center and Outages

You can turn the power off using the main breaker before you leave. You may want to leave the power on to some electric appliances and equipment, such as the refrigerator.

Not always. If you don't have power, call 888-769-7688 or report it online here.

There are several reasons this might happen: 

• Often, we send personnel to survey storm-damaged areas before we begin any repairs. This assessment of damage actually speeds restoration and helps us immediately address any dangerous situations. 
• Crews may need to work elsewhere to fix the problem that's affecting you and your neighbors. 
• We may need to work on a problem that will restore power to a greater number of customers.

Storm damage can affect main power lines, individual services, transformers or all of the above. Your individual service may be damaged or your home could be on a different main power line than your neighbors. Finally, it may be that your home needs electrical repairs before you can receive service from Santee Cooper. If you have any doubts, call our outage number at 888-769-7688.

Each outage is different, so it's difficult to be specific. Please be assured that we work aggressively to restore power as quickly as possible after a storm or outage. We know no one likes to be without power, and Santee Cooper employees are committed to providing you with fast, efficient service. You can monitor outages online at our Storm Center.

Generating stations and transmission lines must be repaired first. Next, power is restored to customers who provide essential services to the community, such as hospitals, police stations, fire departments, and water and sewer facilities. Repairs are then made that will return power to the greatest number of customers, such as damaged main feeders. Finally, we restore small groups and individual services. View diagram.

Sometimes damage occurs to a part of the electrical system that is your responsibility, and you must contract with a private, licensed electrician to make repairs. After the electrician has completed the necessary repairs, ask that they immediately contact the local building authority to request an inspection. Please make sure the building authority calls Santee Cooper to let us know the inspection is complete and gives us permission to reconnect your power.

Although most power outages are short-lived and don't require auxiliary power, some customers use portable electric generators for this purpose. To ensure your safety, the safety of those around you and the safety of Santee Cooper line technicians, portable electric generators should be operated according to strict guidelines.

• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions completely.
• Never connect a portable generator to existing house wiring. It could back feed on power lines and send electricity toward line workers, risking serious or fatal injuries.
• Connect appliances directly to the generator. Refer to the owner's manual for specific instructions on load capacity, approved power cords, etc.
• Operate generators outside, as they emit harmful fumes and contain combustible fuel.
• Add fuel to the generator only when it is not running and has had time to sufficiently cool.
• Always properly ground generators before operating. Refer to owner's manual for specific instructions.

• Treat all downed power lines as though they are energized and report them to us immediately by calling 888-769-7688. Stay away, and do not touch them or drive over them.

• Stay away from flooded areas and debris. These areas can conceal downed power lines.

• Resist the temptation to drive around looking at storm damage. You could hinder rescue efforts or restoration efforts and jeopardize your safety. If you see Santee Cooper line trucks, we appreciate allowing us to move ahead in traffic so restoration efforts will not be slowed.

• Never operate a charcoal grill or gas grill inside the house.

If you have any doubt about the condition of the electrical system, call us at 888-769-7688.

We cannot guarantee your power will not go out, so we encourage you to make arrangements to relocate when storms threaten. With a doctor's written confirmation of your medical need, you can be placed on our Life Line program, which will provide you with a priority status when possible in the event of unexpected outages. Contact your local retail office for more information about Life Line.

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. A tight seal on the doors will reduce chances of melting, thawing and food spoilage. Santee Cooper is not responsible for food loss.

First, check the circuit breakers. One of the breakers may have tripped. Next, check to see if the oven or dryer, which are 240-volt appliances, are working properly. If either the oven or the dryer are not working properly, it is advisable to turn off the power to your home at the main breaker. This will eliminate the possibility of any further damage to your electrical appliances and equipment. If both the oven and dryer are working properly and one of the circuit breakers has tripped off, contact a licensed electrician. The problem is internal and must be checked by an electrician.

We use fuses on our system to protect our equipment and lines. The loud noise is a fuse that has blown, which prevents damage to the system.

Santee Cooper's substations are equipped with circuit breakers similar to those in your home. When there is a problem, the breakers trip to prevent damage to the electrical system. The problem could be a tree limb on the line or a lightning strike. Since these problems are normally temporary, our circuit breakers are designed to reset automatically. These outages typically last less than a second, but it can be long enough to cause a digital clock to lose its memory.