Outage FAQ

During an outage, Sawnee EMC crews are working around the clock to restore power as quickly and efficiently as possible to all customers. The more severe a storm, the longer it could be to restore power. If main lines are down, then they have to be repaired before service can be restored to neighborhoods and to individual homes.

Power Restoration Steps PDF (116 kb)

The main goal is to restore power safely to the greatest number of members in the shortest time possible. Power is not restored in the order of the reported outages. Power must be restored from the substation to the home. It cannot be restored at the home first.

During power outages, Sawnee EMC crews are working in the outage areas. You may see a Sawnee crew ride by your house during an outage. Do not attempt to "flag them down." If a Sawnee truck is seen riding by, they are typically going to the initial location of the outage or assessing the problem to determine how they can most efficiently get power restored to the area.

If you are the only house on your street without power, then it is possible that something has fallen on the service line to your house, or the power to your house comes from a different location than your neighbors. Call Sawnee to report your outage and power will be restored as quickly as possible.

If the service simply came loose from your house and no other damage was caused, the Sawnee crews can restore power to your home. However, if the mast pipe, weather-head, or meter base has been pulled off your house by a falling tree, Sawnee EMC cannot restore power to your house until this is fixed. You need to contact a licensed electrician to repair this situation before power can be restored.

Many of the subdivisions in Sawnee EMC territories have underground service to homes. However, at some point, the service to the subdivision is overhead. If you live in a subdivision and the power is out during a storm, then the initial cause of the outage is located somewhere outside your subdivision.

There should always be a contingency plan in place for patients who have a medical necessity for electricity. This includes backup power, extra medical supplies or an alternate location until the outage is over. Make sure supplies of prescription drugs are adequate and have a first-aid kit. SEMC will never give a “guarantee” as to when the power will be restored or that certain accounts will be given priority over others.

Please contact Sawnee EMC's Customer Call Center at 770-887-2363, text 678-999-8124 or email customerservice@sawnee.coop to speak with a representative regarding any medical concerns at your location.