Tips for being prepared during Lake Tahoe's winter storms

Liberty Utilities is reminding customers to always be prepared for winter storms and possible power outages that may result from them.

“Although we’ve made significant progress in reducing electrical outages since acquiring the utility nearly four years ago, the reality is that a really big winter storm can impact our ability to keep the lights on,” according to Mike Smart, President of Liberty Utilities-California.

With the approaching winter storm, Liberty offers the following outage preparation tips:

Flashlight – Always keep a flashlight and extra batteries handy. Do not use candles in a power outage or other emergency. Camp lights and lanterns may also be useful; however, do not use kerosene lanterns indoors unless you have proper ventilation.

Appliances & Electronics – Turn off or disconnect any appliances or electronics you were using when the power went out. Unplug your computer to avoid the possibility of surge damage when the power returns. Always use a surge protector for valuable electronic equipment, and you may want to purchase an uninterruptable power supply (UPS). A UPS is a battery back-up system that supplies power for about 15 minutes – long enough for you to save all work and
shut the computer down. Surge protectors and UPS can be purchased at most office supply and computer stores.

Leave light on – Leave one light turned on so you’ll know when your power returns.

Staying warm – If you’re cold, put on layers of warm clothing. Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors. Close doors to unused rooms. Use wood-burning fireplaces if available, but ensure the flume is open.

Refrigerators & Freezers – Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. Cover a stand-alone freezer with blankets, quilts or sleeping bags to further insulate it and help keep food frozen. Transfer refrigerated food to ice chests filled with ice if outage is prolonged.

Stay Informed – During a prolonged outage, Liberty Utilities will use local media outlets to communicate with our customers. Please use your wireless devices or battery-powered radios to check local media reports. Liberty Utilities will post necessary emergency notices to their website at www.libertyutilities.com.

Voluntarily conserve during peak use times when power is on – Liberty’s
customers’ electric use rises substantially during peak times—typically from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

With the extra strain that a winter storm can put on the system, Liberty asks that customers try to minimize their usage during that time. For example, try not to do laundry or run the dishwasher during those hours.

“We’ll be monitoring the storm and have crews ready to respond if needed,” Smart added. “Since we purchase our power from NV Energy, we’ll also be communicating with them throughout the storms to do everything possible to keep our customers’ lights on.”

Since acquiring the utility in 2011, Liberty Utilities has invested about $2 million annually in vegetation management efforts, removing trees and branches that may fall on power lines, especially if they are laden with snow. The utility has also invested in many small-scale improvement projects, and are hoping to receive permits in early 2015 to begin a major upgrade project on two key transmission lines known as the 625 and 650 power lines.