Power outages can be caused by a variety of things, from tree limbs or animals contacting the lines to automobile accidents or severe weather disturbances. If your power does go out, there are some simple procedures to follow to get your power restored as soon as possible:
- Check your fuses or breakers to be sure the trouble is not in your electrical system.
- Check the main breaker, which is usually located below the meter. If the breaker is tripped, you can reset it.
- If your power is still off, check with your neighbors on the same electric line. This can help determine how widespread the outage is.
- Call Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative (YVEC) to report the outage. Be prepared with the following information:
- Your name
- Location or address
- Phone number
- Directions to the troubled area
- The time the outage occurred
Report an Outage
Call the office at (406) 348-3411 or (800) 736-5323 to report an outage.
Remember that cordless phones require electricity and will not work during an outage, so it is a good idea to keep a landline (non-cordless) phone plugged in somewhere in the house. Also, if you are using a cell phone to report the outage instead of your home phone, be sure to give us that number when calling so that our linemen can call you back for more information if necessary.