With Old Man Winter putting an icy grip on much of the state, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is providing tips for those residents who have lost electrical power.

As of 12:00 p.m. today - February 2, about 145,000 Pennsylvania electric customers are without electricity. Pennsylvania has about 5 million electric customers. The numbers only represent PUC jurisdictional utilities. The outages are mainly occurring in the outlying suburbs of Philadelphia as well as Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin, Cumberland counties and the lower Lehigh Valley.

The number of people without power is expected to fluctuate throughout the day as power is restored to some while others may lose power as weather forecasts call for winds to pick up later in the day. Priority restoration is given to locations that can restore larger numbers of customers and high-priority customers such as nursing homes, emergency shelters, emergency governmental services and hospitals.

When the lights go out

Call your utility. Don't expect that others in your neighborhood have already called. Due to the severity of some of the damage, it may take extended period of time to restore service to all customers. Your utility can provide you with the most up-to-date information on when to expect power to be restored. Information can be found on the PUC website and clicking on outage site for your utility or by calling:
 

• Allegheny Power (West Penn Power) : 1-800-Allegheny (1-800-255-3443)
• Citizens Electric: 570-524-2231
• Duquesne Light Co.: 1-888-393-7000
• FirstEnergy Companies (Pennsylvania Power Co.; Metropolitan Edison Co.; Pennsylvania Electric Co.): 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877)
• PPL Electric Utilities Inc.: 1-800-DIAL-PPL (1-800-342-5775)
• PECO Energy Co.: 1-800-841-4141
• Pike County Light & Power Co.: 1-877-434-4100
• UGI Utilities Inc.: 1-800-962-1212
• Wellsboro Electric Co.: 570-724-3516
   

Other Tips:

• Check on elderly neighbors and those with special needs who might need additional assistance.
   
• Use a phone that does not require electricity to work. A cellular phone or corded phone will work. Remember a cordless phone won’t work without electricity. And remember to charge cell phones in advance of weather forecasts that might affect power.
   
• Turn off lights and electrical appliances except for the refrigerator and freezer. When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary "surges" or "spikes" that can damage equipment. After you turn the lights off, turn one lamp on so you will know when power is restored. Wait at least 15 minutes after power is restored before turning on other appliances.
   
• Only use a flashlight or battery-operated lanterns for emergency lighting. Do not use candles.
   
• Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer. Food can stay cold for a couple of hours if the doors remain closed. For longer outages, plan to place refrigerator and freezer items in coolers with ice. If in doubt, throw it out. The state Department of Agriculture has more information on food safety.
   
• If you are going to use a generator, do not run it inside a home or garage. If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home's electrical system.
   
• Heat sources like kerosene heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves should be used with caution as a heat source when the power goes out. Never leave alternative heat sources unattended and be aware of carbon monoxide risks.
  
  Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas created when combustible materials burn incompletely. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are often mistaken for the flu and include nausea, headaches, dizziness, disorientation and fatigue. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should get into fresh air immediately and call 911.
   

Driving during a power outage

• Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car. Traffic signals will stop working during an outage, creating traffic congestion. If traffic lights are out, treat all intersections as four-way stops. It’s required by law for safety.
   
• Stay away from downed power lines and sagging trees with broken limbs.
   

Downed power lines

• Don’t touch or get near any fallen lines. 
• Stay away from objects or puddles in contact with downed power lines. |
• Notify the utility company.  
• Never try to remove trees or limbs from power lines.