In the event of a widespread outage(s), visit our Facebook page for the most up-to-date information. During a large outage we make every effort to update our Facebook page regularly with restoration progress.

Click here to view our live outage tracker.

At Paris BPU, we know you count on us to keep the lights on. And we work hard to make that happen. When outages occur, we work to restore your power as quickly and safely as possible. In the event of a major storm, power is restored in four phases:

Phase 1: Repair High Voltage Transmission Lines

• Transmission towers and lines supply power to thousands of customers. They rarely fall but when they do, they must be repaired first before other parts of the system can operate.

Phase 2: Inspect/Repair Distribution Substations

• Distribution substations receive high voltage power from transmission lines and then disperse that power at a lower voltage to Paris BPU’s main distribution lines. Our 13 distribution substations serve over 21,000 customers across Paris and Henry County. When a major power outage occurs, Paris BPU crews inspect the substation to determine if the problem stems from the transmission lines feeding into the substation, the substation itself or if the problem is further down the line.

Phase 3: Check/Repair Main Distribution Lines

• If the problem cannot be isolated at a substation, crews then check our main distribution lines. The distribution lines carry power to large groups of customers across the county. Power can often be restored to large groups of customers once damage to distribution lines are repaired.

Phase 4: Examine/Repair Supply Lines

• If local outages still exist, crews next examine and repair supply lines.  These lines deliver power to transformers that are either mounted on poles or placed on pads (for underground service) and can be found outside of homes, businesses and schools. Occasionally damage will occur on the service lines between the nearest transformer and your home.
  • When the problem is in the supply lines, our crews will restore outages in the order that will restore power to the largest number of customers at a time.
  • Service entrances, or the lines that carry power from the meter to the wiring inside your house, may be damaged as well. A licensed electrician will need to make those repairs to safely restore power to your home.

As you can see, restoring power after a major storm is no small task and is much more than just flipping a switch or removing a tree off a damaged line. When we work to restore power, we are often able to have multiple crews working on different parts of our system simultaneously, allowing for faster restoration times.

In the event of an outage please remember that our line crews will work tirelessly to safely restore power to the greatest number of customers in the shortest time possible and will keep working until the lights are back on!

In West Tennessee, it’s no secret that the weather can be unpredictable. Winter ice storms, a tornado or a summer downpour after weeks of no rain can disrupt the flow of electricity to our homes, schools and businesses. Severe weather events like a tornado or winter storm can cause hazardous road conditions, downed power lines and lengthy power outages. If power lines go down because of a winter storm or tornado, you may be in for an extended power outage as line crews battle the elements to find problem areas and restore service as quickly and safely as possible.

A severe storm can knock out power in your area, leaving you without heat, running water or a way to cook food. It’s a good idea to put together an emergency supply in case of an emergency. A basic emergency supply kit could include the following items:

• Battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio
• Water: 1 gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Non-perishable, ready-to-eat, food
• Manual can opener
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First-Aid Kit – including prescription medications
• Tools: wrench, pliers, hammer and screwdriver to turn off utilities
• Cellphone with car charger, battery pack or solar charger
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
• Complete change of clothes for each person
• Cash and credit cards
• Photocopies of important family documents (insurance policies, identification and bank account records) in a waterproof, portable container.
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, cards or puzzles for entertainment (especially if you have children
• Moist towelettes and garbage bags for sanitation
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and other personal items
• Pet food and extra water for your pet