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Oncor, like most utilities, has a proven plan for restoring power following major storms. Oncor follows a straightforward system which has been tested over many years and proven to be effective. First, power is restored to critical emergency services such as hospitals, police and fire stations, and sewer and water processing plants. Next, crews work to ensure power lines affecting the largest number of homes and businesses are repaired. Finally, Oncor workers make repairs in neighborhoods, restoring service line by line. Customers with partial power may be the last to be fully restored. The magnitude and severity of the storm or outage situation determines how long it takes to fully restore electric service. Every customer is important to Oncor and we strive to fully restore service as fast as safely possible.
We appreciate your patience and understanding.
-Marty S., Oncor Customer Relations Expert

If you fall into the following two categories, you should sign up for the residential critical care program. The first category is designated as chronic condition customers. These are defined as residential premises where there is a person permanently residing in the home who has been diagnosed by a physician as having a serious medical condition that requires an electric-powered medical device or electric heating or cooling to prevent the impairment of a major life medical condition. The second category is defined as critical care which is a residential premise where there is a person permanently residing in the home that has been diagnosed by a physician as being dependent upon an electric-powered medical device to sustain life.

Oncor, like most utilities, has a proven plan for restoring power. Oncor follows a straightforward system. First, power is restored to critical emergency services such as hospitals, police and fire stations, and sewer and water processing plants. Next, crews work to ensure power lines affecting the largest number of homes and businesses are repaired.

-David R., Oncor Distribution Expert

Your neighbors may have electric service when you don’t because their home is on a different set of lines or circuit. If you can envision the electric grid as an immense version of your house, you may be able to understand what’s happening. When a circuit breaker trips in your home, power may be on in the bathroom but not in the kitchen. That’s because your house has more than one circuit. One circuit is off while the others are on. Circuits in neighborhoods work much the same way.

-David R., Oncor Distribution Expert

Our No.1 goal is to get everyone’s power back on as quickly and safely as possible. Oncor follows a systematic process for assessing damage and assigning crews. If damage is extensive, Oncor regularly brings additional personnel or materials from other areas to speed the restoration process. Sometimes storm damage is so severe that repairs can take several days. After Oncor analyzes the scope of the storm damage, an estimate about the length of the storm restoration is made public.

 -David R., Oncor Distribution Expert

It’s possible trees may be coming into contact with power lines serving your neighborhood. Trees interfering with power lines are among the top three reasons for power outages year after year, along with storms, and wildlife. Oncor prunes trees year-round to try to reduce or prevent outages.
-David R., Oncor Distribution Expert

Outage confirmation numbers are the last four digits of your Electric Service Identifier or ESI ID number, which you can find on your electric bill.

-Pam W., Oncor Call Center Expert

Oncor uses codes through our automated system to quickly and easily identify specific situations that need our attention. Trouble Code 15 is Oncor’s code for power out and a wire down between an electric pole and a house.

-Pam W., Oncor Call Center Expert

To report partial power, call Oncor's outage reporting line at 1.888.313.4747. In the options menu that follows, press “1” for English, and then “1” again to report lights out at a home or business. This is the option to report a full power outage or partial power. Continue to follow the instructions through the automated system to report your partial power outage. Oncor will use this information to investigate your partial power outage.

​Follow the instructions provided by your Retail Electric Provider – you can call them at the number on your monthly bill. If you don't know who your provider is, Oncor can help. Call us at 888-313-4747.   Once the outage has been reported and investigated, your REP or Oncor will call you to discuss the problem and possible solutions.

Pam W., Oncor Call Center Expert