News Releases

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (Jan. 17, 2019) — PPL Electric Utilities is preparing for Winter Storm Harper and will be ready to respond if the forecasted ice and wind produce power outages.

“As the storm moves closer to this area and forecasts are fine-tuned, we’ll be refining our own preparation and response plans,” said Dave Quier, director of operations for PPL Electric Utilities.

“The bottom line is our customers expect us to be ready to respond to whatever Mother Nature dishes out and we’ll be up to the challenge.”

PPL Electric Utilities’ comprehensive line clearing program, coupled with extensive smart grid automation and investments in more storm-resistant poles and wires, have combined to reduce storm-related outages. The work is meant to reduce both the number and duration of outages.

“This expected combination of snow, freezing rain and wind is predicted to produce outages,” Quier said. “We’ll have the workers and materials in place to get the lights back on as safely and as quickly as possible.”

Safety first

Nothing is more important than safety. As this storm bears down on our region, we urge customers to be prepared.

• Make sure your phones and other mobile devices are charged.
• Prepare and maintain an emergency kit with food, water, medication and any pet supplies you may need.

In case of an outage:

• Outages can be reported online at pplelectric.com, by texting “Outage” to TXTPPL (898775) or by phone at 1-800-342-5775.
• Outage information also can be obtained by visiting our outage map at pplelectric.com/outage.
• Exact estimated restoration times may not be available for some power outages until crews have had a chance to assess the damage. As soon as estimates are available, they will be posted on the map and included in outage alerts.
• Avoid using candles for lighting because they can start fires. Use flashlights instead.
• Avoid opening your refrigerator and freezer as much as possible.
• Unplug sensitive home electronics. Turn off ovens and space heaters that may have been on when the outage occurred.
• Stay away from any downed wires and assume all downed wires are energized.
• If you use a portable generator, never operate it in your home, garage or any enclosed area where deadly carbon monoxide fumes can accumulate.
• If you rely on medical equipment or have special personal needs, plan what you would do in the event of an extended power outage at your home.

More detailed information on staying safe in storms can be found on PPL’s website at pplelectric.com/safety.

PPL Electric Utilities provides electric delivery service to more than 1.4 million homes and businesses in Pennsylvania and ranks among the best utility companies in the country for customer service and reliability. PPL Electric Utilities is a major employer in the communities it serves. It is a subsidiary of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL). For more information visit www.pplelectric.com.