Customers urged to prepare now and report power interruptions quickly
With a winter storm expected to bring periods of rain, strong winds and gusty conditions through the holiday, Sacramento Municipal Utility District officials say crews are prepared to respond quickly to any storm-related power outages across the region.
SMUD reported that line crews, troubleshooters and other field personnel are on standby and ready to work around the clock to restore electric service safely and as efficiently as possible if outages occur. While the utility performs year-round maintenance and trims trees near power lines, officials noted that severe wind and heavy rain can still cause branches to fall into lines, leading to power disruptions during major storm events.
Customers experiencing an outage are encouraged to report it using the SMUD mobile app or by visiting smud.org/outages, where they can also track the cause of the outage and estimated restoration times. Outages may also be reported by phone at 1-888-456-SMUD (7683).
Ahead of the storm, SMUD recommends residents prepare for possible power interruptions by assembling a basic emergency kit. Officials advise having fully charged cell phones or laptops, battery banks, flashlights, extra batteries, a manual can opener, a supply of water and a battery-operated device to stay informed with news updates.
If power goes out, residents are advised to check whether neighboring homes are also without electricity, which can indicate a larger outage. Any loss of service should be reported promptly to help crews respond and restore power more efficiently.
SMUD also emphasized safety during storm conditions, particularly if downed power lines are encountered. Residents should stay away from fallen lines, assume they are energized, and immediately contact SMUD or call 911. Officials warned against attempting to remove fallen tree limbs or debris from power lines, as those materials can conduct electricity and pose serious shock hazards.
During widespread storm outages, SMUD prioritizes restoration efforts by first addressing public safety hazards such as downed power lines or poles. Crews then focus on hospitals, critical flood control facilities and organizations with significant community impact, followed by areas with large numbers of customers without power and finally smaller, scattered outages.
SMUD is the nation’s sixth-largest community-owned, not-for-profit electric service provider and has provided electricity to Sacramento County for more than 75 years. In 2024, approximately 62 percent of its power supply was carbon free, a figure influenced by weather conditions and hydroelectric production. SMUD’s long-term goal is to eliminate carbon emissions from its electricity production by 2030 while maintaining reliability and keeping rates among the lowest in California.
More information on outage reporting, storm preparedness and SMUD’s Zero Carbon Plan is available at smud.org.
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