Who do I call when my power goes out in Texas?
Call your utility, the company that owns the poles, wires and meter. In most of Texas, that's not the company that sends your bill. Tap your area to call.
Sells you power, sets your price and sends the bill. Call it about bills, plans and payments. It can't send a crew to fix your lines.
Fixes outages and downed lines. Its name usually appears on your bill next to the delivery charges. Co-op or city customer? Your co-op or city is both, so call the number on your bill.
Faster than calling: Oncor takes outage reports by text (OUT to 66267) and has an outage map. AEP Texas, TNMP, CPS Energy and Austin Energy have outage maps too. TNMP asks you to report on its map before calling. Not sure which utility you have? See our guides to Oncor, CenterPoint and AEP Texas, or use who's my utility?
Not sure who owns your lines? Use our utility finder, or read our guides to Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, CPS Energy and Austin Energy. Kep a printed copy of your number with a friend or on the fridge, since your phone may die first.
What should I do in the first 10 minutes?
Do these five things, in this order. They protect your food, your electronics and your family.
- 1Check if it's just you
Look at your breaker box and your neighbors' lights. If only your home is dark, a tripped breaker may be the cause.
- 2Check the map, then report it
See if your utility already knows. If not, call or text your report using the numbers above.
- 3Unplug electronics
Ready.gov says unplugging appliances and electronics helps avoid damage from power surges when the power comes back.
- 4Keep the fridge and freezer shut
Every time you open them, cold air escapes. Plan meals so you open them as little as you can.
- 5Stay away from downed lines
Assume every downed line is live. Stay at least 35 feet away, keep kids and pets back, and call your utility or 911.
- Flashlights for everyone, with extra batteries. Skip candles.
- Enough water and nonperishable food for several days.
- A cooler and ice packs for medicine that must stay cold.
- Batteries or backup power for medical devices.
- A thermometer for your fridge and freezer.
- Carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup.
- A charged power bank, and a full gas tank.
- Your utility’s outage number, written down.
From Ready.gov’s power outage guidance, plus our tip to keep your utility’s number on paper.
How long will my food stay safe without power?
A closed refrigerator keeps food cold for about 4 hours. A full, closed freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours. After that, the clock is against you.
From Ready.gov. A half-full freezer warms faster than a full one. Keep a thermometer in your fridge and freezer so you know the real temperature.
Expecting a long outage? Fill a cooler with ice for the most important items, like medicine and baby formula. If your home relies on SNAP benefits, ask your benefits office whether you can replace food lost in a disaster.
Times assume the doors stayed closed, from Ready.gov. When in doubt, use a food thermometer: toss anything that sat at 40°F or warmer for 2 hours or more.
How do I use a generator safely?
Outdoors only, and at least 20 feet from windows. Generators make carbon monoxide, a gas you can't see or smell that can kill you, your family and your pets. A garage is not outdoors, even with the door open.
Ready.gov's rule for generators, camp stoves and charcoal grills: outdoors, and at least 20 feet from windows.
- Put carbon monoxide alarms with battery backup on every level of your home.
- Keep the generator dry and out of rain or flooding.
- Use heavy-duty extension cords to plug in appliances.
- Let it cool before you refuel.
- Run a generator, camp stove or grill inside, or in a garage.
- Use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
- Touch a wet generator or anything plugged into one.
Thinking about backup power that turns on by itself and makes no fumes? Read is a home battery worth it?
What if someone at home needs powered medical equipment?
Make a plan now, not during the outage. Ready.gov says to talk with your medical provider about a plan for powered devices and refrigerated medicines.
- 1Apply for critical care status
Your doctor sends the state's critical care form to your utility. Approved homes get advance notice of planned outages and extra protections around disconnections. It doesn't promise power during an outage.
- 2Plan your backup
Ask your provider how long each device can run on battery, and where you would go if the outage lasts longer.
- 3Keep medicine cold
Have a cooler and ice packs ready for medicines that must stay cold.
Full details on the form are in our guide to help paying your electric bill.
How long can a big Texas outage last?
Days, sometimes more than a week. When Hurricane Beryl hit Houston on July 8, 2024, CenterPoint says outages peaked at an estimated 2.26 million customers. Eight days later, 88,000 still had no power, in July heat.
Peak from CenterPoint’s SEC filing. The 55-hour point is CenterPoint’s own count of more than 1 million restored. July 16 from The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit newsroom.
Long outages are why a backup plan matters before storm season. Compare a home battery with a generator, and if a storm damages your roof, see how to file a hail or wind claim. Need help with a bill afterward? See every way to get bill help. Call 2-1-1 to find local help.
Help paying for backup power
Is it just my street, or the whole Texas grid?
Almost every outage is local: a storm, a car hitting a pole, or a failed transformer. Statewide grid emergencies are rare.
Damage to lines near you. Your utility fixes it, and its outage map shows what it knows. Report it with the numbers above.
When there isn't enough power for everyone, ERCOT, the grid operator, can order utilities to cut power in rotating blocks. Your utility decides which neighborhoods go dark and when.
Learn how grid alerts work in ERCOT grid alerts, explained. Want a smaller bill and to help the grid on tight days? See how to get paid to use less power.
Texas power outage questions, answered
Who do I call to report a power outage in Texas?
Call your utility, the company that owns the power lines: Oncor at 1-888-313-4747, CenterPoint at 713-207-2222, AEP Texas at 1-866-223-8508, TNMP at 1-888-866-7456, CPS Energy at (210) 353-4357 or Austin Energy at 512-322-9100. Co-op and city customers should call the number on their bill.
Should I call my electric company when the power goes out?
Usually not. In most of Texas, the company on your bill sells you power but doesn't own the lines, so it can't send a repair crew. Call your utility instead.
How long does food last in the fridge without power?
About 4 hours if you keep the door closed, according to Ready.gov. A full, closed freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours. Throw out food that has been at 40°F or warmer for 2 hours or more.
How far should a generator be from my house?
At least 20 feet from windows, and always outdoors, according to Ready.gov. Never run one in a garage. Put carbon monoxide alarms with battery backup on every level of your home.
How do I report an outage to Oncor?
Call 1-888-313-4747, text OUT to 66267, or use Oncor's online outage map.
How do I report an outage to Austin Energy?
Call 512-322-9100 any time, or text OUT to 287846 to report it and get updates.
Can I report an AEP Texas outage by text?
No. AEP Texas takes outage reports at 866-223-8508 or on its online outage map. Its text messages are outage alerts only, which you can turn on in your account settings.
How far should I stay from a downed power line?
At least 35 feet. Treat every downed line as live, keep children and pets away, and call your utility or 911.
Can I get priority if someone at home uses medical equipment?
You can apply for critical care status. Your doctor sends the state's form to your utility, and approved homes get advance notice of planned outages and extra protections around disconnections. It doesn't guarantee power during an outage, so keep a backup plan.
How long did the Hurricane Beryl outages last?
Beryl knocked out power to 2.26 million CenterPoint customers on July 8, 2024. About 854,000 were still out on July 12, and 88,000 on July 16, eight days later.
What should I unplug when the power goes out?
Appliances and electronics. Ready.gov says unplugging them helps avoid damage from power surges when the power comes back.
Can I refreeze food after a power outage?
Use the food safety timer above as a guide, and check with a thermometer. Throw out anything that sat at 40 degrees or warmer for 2 hours or more, or that smells, looks or feels unusual. Ready.gov’s rule: when in doubt, throw it out.
Can I get help paying for solar or a battery for outages?
Some local programs help. Austin Energy pays $4,000 toward home solar systems over 3 kW, and Oncor’s 2026 program pays approved installers for solar with or without a battery. Check your utility’s programs before you buy, and compare a battery with a generator first.
Sources and updates
Sources (16)
- Ready.gov (FEMA), Power outages: refrigerator and freezer times, generator and carbon monoxide safety, and unplugging electronics.
- Oncor, Outage center: outage map, reporting by phone (1-888-313-4747) or text (OUT to 66267), and downed-line safety.
- CenterPoint Energy, Contact us: the 713-207-2222 and 800-332-7143 outage lines.
- AEP Texas, Report a power outage: the 866-223-8508 outage and downed-line number, the outage map, and text alerts (alerts only, no text reporting).
- TNMP, Power outages and hazards: 888-866-7456 (option 1 for outages, option 2 for hazards) and reporting on the outage map.
- CPS Energy, Outage center: outage map and the (210) 353-4357 outage and gas-leak line.
- Austin Energy, Outages: outage map, 512-322-9100 and text OUT to 287846.
- CenterPoint Energy, Quarterly report filed with the SEC (second quarter 2024): Hurricane Beryl outages peaking at an estimated 2.26 million customers.
- CenterPoint Energy, News release, July 11, 2024 (republished by T&D World, a trade magazine): more than 1 million of the 2.26 million customers restored in the first 55 hours.
- The Texas Tribune, Hurricane Beryl updates (a nonprofit newsroom): 88,000 CenterPoint customers still without power eight days later, and nearly 3 million Texas customers affected.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Application for Chronic Condition or Critical Care Residential Customer Status (copy hosted by ERCOT): who qualifies, the doctor’s role, and what the status doesn’t cover.
- TNMP, Critical care: residential: physician-submitted applications, approval notices and expiration.
- Austin Energy, Power Up with Sunshine (August 24, 2026): the $4,000 home solar rebate for systems over 3 kW.
- Oncor, 2026 Solar Program Manual: incentives paid to approved installers, with or without a battery.
- City of Austin, Power Partner thermostat incentives (March 9, 2026): the $75 credit per thermostat and $30 a year.
- FEMA, DisasterAssistance.gov: where to apply for federal help after a declared disaster.
Changelog · last updated October 5, 2026 · 2 updates
- October 5, 2026 (update): Added an outage kit checklist from Ready.gov, programs that help pay for backup power, and a new answer on solar and battery help.
- October 5, 2026: Guide published: outage numbers for six Texas utilities, a first-10-minutes checklist, a food safety timer, generator safety, medical-device planning and Hurricane Beryl restoration data from CenterPoint.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Power out in Texas? Who to call and what to do right now", updated October 4, 2026, https://theday.company/tx/power-outage.
Safety guidance summarizes Ready.gov; in an emergency, call 911. Outage numbers were checked October 5, 2026; your utility’s number is also printed on your bill. The Day Company is not affiliated with any utility or electric company named here.