Power outages remain a concern because they can interrupt daily operations, threaten public health, and cause economic losses. More than 20,000 Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) customers in Santa Fe lost electricity Wednesday afternoon. The outage affected a wide area of the city for over an hour. The culprit: lightning.
Lightning struck a transmission line at around 1:15 p.m., triggering the outage, PNM said in a social media post. Crews restored the line and returned power to affected customers by about 2:30 p.m., according to the utility.
As of 2:30 p.m., a little more than 100 PNM customers scattered in and around Santa Fe remain without power. However, PNP had restored electricity to everyone affected by the larger outage. This was disclosed by PNM spokesperson Eric Chavez, according to a report by Santa Fe New Mexican.Â
By 5:45 p.m. PNM had restored power across the Santa Fe area. The only remaining outage was reported shortly before 5 p.m. It affected fewer than five customers near the intersection of Rufina Street and Henry Lynch Road.
PNM urges consumers to report an outage on the outage map or by texting #OUT to 78766.
What to Do During an Outage?
As reported by KOAT Action News, PNM outlined the steps customers should follow during a power outage:
For electrical equipment
- Turn off appliances, including stoves, and unplug electrical equipment in use when the power goes out.
- Turn off all lights except one to know when power has been restored.
- Turn off and unplug TVs, stereos, and game systems.
For food
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold.Â
- Buy dry or block ice if the outage is expected to last more than four hours. Place it in your refrigerator to keep food cold as long as possible.
Inside your home
- Use flashlights for emergency lighting. Choose flameless LED candles instead of regular candles to reduce the risk of fire.Â
- During summer, move to the lowest level of your home, where cooler air settles. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Drink plenty of water, even if you do not feel thirsty.Â
- During winter, wear layers of warm clothing. Avoid using the oven as a source of heat.Â
For generator safety
- Consult an electrician or engineer before buying and installing a home generator.
- Operate generators only outdoors and away from your home. Never run a generator inside a home or garage, and never connect it to your home’s electrical system.
How to Prepare for a Power Outage
Assemble an Emergency Kit
Build an emergency preparedness kit to help you get through a power outage. Here’s what you should include:
- At least 1 gallon of water per person
- A flashlight with extra batteries
- Portable cell phone charger and a charger for your phone in your car
- Important documents
- Extra cash
- Portable hand crank radio or radio with batteries
- First aid kit
- Nonperishable food
Take These Additional Precautions
PNM also recommends the following steps during an extended power outage:
- Keep alternative charging methods available for your phone and other devices that require power. Charge your cell phones and any battery-powered devices before an outage.
- Locate the manual release lever for your electric garage door opener. Learn how to use it in case you need to leave your home.
- Keep at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle. Gas stations need electricity to operate their fuel pumps.
- Talk to a doctor or health care provider if you or a family member uses medical equipment that requires electricity. Create a plan to keep the equipment running during a power outage.
