Primary account holders with a mobile phone number on file will automatically receive text alerts when an outage affects their account. Make sure your contact information is up to date and add additional contacts in My Account. You can also manage your outage alert preferences on the Outage Alerts page.

Other easy ways to view or receive outage information are the following:

• Visit our online outage map.
• Download the Idaho Power mobile app, available through the Apple Store and Google Play, to receive outage information specific to your home or business. The app will tell you if we know your power is out and the estimated restoration time. It also features an in-app outage map that displays all outages of 10 or more customers in our service area.
• Call 208-388-2323 or 1-800-488-6151 toll-free.

If your power has been out for over 10 minutes and is not reflected in the app or on the outage map, please call to report it so we can work to restore your power.  When you call to do so, our Customer Care Team will ask the following:

• Your name, your business’ name (if applicable), address, and telephone number
• The approximate time power was interrupted
• If the entire area is without power, or just your business or home
• If you saw or heard anything unusual when the power went out
• If you can see any power lines on the ground

If there are lines on the ground, stay as far away as possible but at least 100 feet. Assume the lines are energized and dangerous.

Idaho Power’s highest priority is to address hazardous situations, such as downed power lines. Our crews then focus on restoring power to customers and critical facilities, such as hospitals and police and fire departments. As we restore power, different parts of a neighborhood may be on different circuits and may be restored at different times (see question below.)
 

Yes. It’s possible for neighbors to be on different feeders. A feeder is an overhead or underground electrical line that supplies power to a group of customers within a given geographical area. Feeders do not necessarily align with streets, neighborhoods, or community boundaries. Two different feeders could easily serve one street. A feeder can serve up to 2,000 customers.

In the mobile app or on our online outage map, you can view when an outage started, the number of customers impacted, the probable cause, status of the outage, and an estimated restoration time. Outage conditions can change, so check the map for updates as new information is received from crews on site. You can also get this information by calling 208-388-2323 or 1-800-488-6151 toll-free.

From the online outage map, you can also sign up to receive text alerts about a specific outage. Primary account holders with a mobile phone number on file will automatically receive text alerts when an outage affects their account. Make sure your contact information is up to date and add additional contacts in My Account. You can also manage your outage alert preferences on the Outage Alerts page.

The power grid is complex and our lines and equipment span thousands of miles. Many things that cause a line to trip (like a breaker trips at your house) leave little to no evidence behind. When the cause is obvious, like a vehicle accident or an object in the line, we do our best to provide a suspected cause. However, our focus is always safety first with an emphasis on restoration as quickly and safely as possible — so if the cause is not immediately clear, you may see a cause of “Under Investigation” or “Not Found” as we prioritize getting the power back on.

Plugging sensitive equipment like expensive electronics into a high-quality surge suppressor is an inexpensive way to help protect equipment from power surges and may help extend the life of your equipment. Learn more about how to choose a surge suppressor.

You can protect other equipment (like household appliances) by unplugging them or shutting off the circuit breakers until power is restored. We suggest leaving one light on so you’ll know when power has been restored.

After power has been restored for about 10 minutes, turn equipment back on in phases by energizing one breaker or fuse (or large piece of equipment) at a time and ensuring the equipment is working before moving to the next breaker or fuse. This provides additional protection for your equipment.

By keeping the doors closed on your fridge or freezer, you can maintain cool temperatures for several hours. We also recommend keeping a large block of ice in your freezer to help keep things cold. Learn more about food safety during a power outage from the CDC’s food safety website.