Electrical Safety

Safety Guidelines

Stay away from downed power lines. Always assume they are energized and dangerous.
Keep at least 35 feet away from any downed line.
If a power line falls on your vehicle, stay inside and call 911. Do not exit unless the vehicle is on fire — in that case, jump clear without touching the vehicle and the ground at the same time.
Do not drive over downed power lines.
Report downed lines immediately by calling (956) 542-6000.

Turn off or unplug major appliances (A/C, water heater, stove) to prevent damage from a power surge when electricity is restored.
Leave one light on so you know when power returns.
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed — a full freezer will hold temperature for about 48 hours.
Never use a gas stove, oven, or charcoal grill to heat your home.
Use flashlights instead of candles to reduce fire risk.
Check on elderly neighbors and those with medical equipment.

Never run a generator indoors, in a garage, or in any enclosed space. Carbon monoxide can be deadly.
Place generators at least 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents.
Never plug a generator directly into a wall outlet (backfeeding) — this can kill utility workers restoring power.
Use a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician.
Keep generators dry and operate on a level surface.
Let the generator cool down before refueling.

Turn appliances back on one at a time to avoid overloading the circuit.
Check your food: discard anything from the refrigerator that has been above 40 F for more than two hours.
Reset digital clocks, timers, and alarms.
If you experience flickering lights or partial power, call BPUB — a phase of service may still be out on your street.
Report any damaged equipment such as broken meter boxes or detached service lines.

Our customer service team is available to assist you with outage reports, billing questions, and service requests.