Bay County, which took the brunt of Michael’s strongest winds, now has approximately 75 percent of the electrical system rebuilt. A large section surrounding Hwy. 77 in Panama City was restored last night with the latest restoration updates reflected in the restoration map.

Gulf Power’s rebuild efforts continue to become more concentrated in the Bay County area, where damage is greatest, and debris cleanup is ramping up across the community. With more customers’ homes and businesses connected to power again, Gulf Power urges everyone to focus on safety.

“It’s critical that not only our storm crews, but all people in the community are thinking about safety,” said Adrianne Collins, vice president of Power Delivery for Gulf Power. “With lines now being energized across Panama City, the community needs to be extremely mindful around all electrical equipment.”

Customers should treat any downed lines as if they are energized because you can’t tell by looking if a downed line is live or not. Telecommunications (TV and telephone) fiber optic cables that are touching a power line could become energized and should also be avoided. Customers should never cut these lines. Gulf Power also warns customers and debris cleanup crews to not pick up any utility equipment – some utility equipment may still contain a dangerous charge.

Generator use also continues to be a major hazard for customers and line crews. Generators should never be used in an enclosed or partially enclosed space. Customers should not connect portable generators to their household electrical wiring. These practices can cause serious injury and even death to customers and to crews working on the lines in their neighborhood.

“It’s important to know that mis-use of a generator can result in death,” added Collins. “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and our storm crews. The dangerous conditions of Hurricane Michael extend far past landfall and we want everyone to come through this storm safely as we rebuild, restore and recover together.”

See more preparation and safety tips here.

Estimated Restoration Times – View map for a visual of estimated restoration times

Customers can find the estimated restoration time for their home or business by going online and following the below instructions.

1.       Go to outagemap.gulfpower.com

2.       Click the SEARCH button

3.       Type your address into the search box

4.       The map will display your submitted address marked with a blue flag icon

5.       Click on the nearest outage icon or colored outage area covering your address

6.       The “Estimated Restoration” time will be listed at the top of the “Outage Information” box

Preparing for power
 

Gulf Power wants to ensure customers know what they can do now to ensure they can be safely connected at the earliest opportunity when power is restored to their area.  

·         Know what you need to repair – Homeowners and businesses are responsible for electrical equipment attached to the house (service stack, attachment hardware, riser and meter box). Gulf Power is responsible for the wire or service line to the house and the electric meter. If the homeowner’s equipment is damaged, repairs will be needed before Gulf Power can connect service. See this graphic for more information.

·         Keep area near and around power poles clear of debris – As customers clean up from the storm, it is important to keep all debris at least 10 ft. away from all electrical equipment, such as power wires and poles or the green padmount box on the ground (pictured here). It is especially important not to place debris on top of the green padmount box. This can make it difficult for lineworkers to perform connection work and can present a danger during debris removal.

·         Transfer/Reconnects – For customers that need to transfer their service due to Hurricane Michael, visit GulfPower.com or call 1-800-225-5797. The Account Establishment Charge will be waived for residential customers relocating within Gulf Power's service area due to Hurricane Michael. The AEC will also be waived when the customer reconnects service at the original premise location, following repairs or rebuilding. This does not apply to temporary service poles.

·         Disconnects – For customers who will no longer be able to safely take power due to severe damage from Hurricane Michael, visit GulfPower.com or call 1-800-225-5797 to disconnect your home.

Safety Tips
 

• Treat any downed wire as if it is energized because you can’t tell by looking if a downed wire is live or not. Telephone or cable television wires that are touching a power line could become energized and should also be avoided. For dangerous conditions, including downed power lines, please call 911 or 1-800-487-6937.
• Standing water (puddles from flooding) may be energized from a downed line. Be careful not to touch or step in water near where a downed power line is located. If a downed line is near water — even a small puddle — keep well away.
• Don’t attempt to repair the electrical system or pull tree limbs off lines. Let our trained work crews perform this potentially dangerous work.
• Stay clear of areas where there is a lot of debris or downed trees because it could conceal an energized power line. Also stay clear of chain link fences which may be energized if touching a downed line.
• If you have an electric generator, please ensure that you have isolated your home or business from the utility electrical service lines by opening main breakers or other devices. Do not connect portable generators to your household electrical wiring. This can cause serious injury to you and to our employees working on the lines in your neighborhood. Connect only essential appliances – such as freezers and refrigerators — directly to the generator.
• If your power is off, turn off large appliances and air conditioners and wait 10 to 15 minutes after power has been restored before turning them back on.
• If there is damage to your meter box or the pole on top of your meter box, you must first have an electrician make repairs before we can restore your service.
• Stay away from areas where our crews are working. If driving, follow road signs, drive cautiously and follow directions in the area of a work crew.
• Please be patient. Our crews will work as fast as safety allows. Before neighborhood lines can be worked on, our crews must first repair larger lines that bring power to neighborhoods.
• See more preparation and safety tips here.

Stay Connected with Gulf Power

·         To get the latest updates on outages, customers can download Gulf Power’s app and access the outage map for the latest restoration information. The app is free and available for iPhone and Android. Just search for “Gulf Power” in iTunes or the Google Play Store.

·         Visit MyGulfPower.com and click on the outage map for restoration updates.

·         Customers can follow Gulf Power updates on Facebook or Twitter – #RebuildingTogether #RestoringHope #PowerofTeamwork #FloridaStrong

·         Gulf Power knows when your power is out. However, you can call 1-800-487-6937 if you have any questions about your outage.