Restoration efforts have been hindered by two main factors. First, hazardous road conditions that greatly slow the time it takes for Oncor trucks and personnel to reach areas of repair, and pick up and deliver equipment to work sites. While temperatures finally rise above freezing, partially melting and refreezing ice may exacerbate these travel challenges. Second, we continue to identify damaged equipment as a result of transformers having to quickly power back up massive amounts of energy after the controlled outages concluded. This damage is somewhat comparable to blowing a fuse when you plug too many devices into one outlet in your home. While this damage may temporarily prevent the equipment from powering up every connected customer in the area, personnel will aim to restore as many as possible to provide relief before replacement equipment can be installed. In some instances, personnel may leave the area to work on other nearby repairs while replacement equipment or additional workers are in route. This does not mean that Oncor has closed the outage or that we will not prioritize its full restoration.

Oncor delivers electricity that you buy from your Retail Electric Provider (REP). Oncor bills the REP for the cost to deliver electricity to your home, so the bulk of Oncor charges on your residential electric bill are based on the amount of electricity you use. If you have been without power for an extended period of time, and have therefore used less electricity, it’s likely that your Oncor charges will be lower for this billing cycle. Your bill is also based on the rate charged by your REP, which varies based on which REP and plan you signed up for.

In many instances, your neighbor may have electric service when you don’t because their home is on a different set of lines or circuit. If your neighbor was without power and is now restored, and you are still without power, please check the circuit breaker at the property. You should also examine the meter base and weatherhead to ensure they have not been damaged or pulled off. If that has occurred, customers need to contact an electrician to make necessary repairs before Oncor can restore power. We also continue to identify damaged equipment as a result of transformers having to quickly power back up massive amounts of energy after the controlled outages concluded. This damage is somewhat comparable to blowing a fuse when you plug too many devices into one outlet in your home. While this damage may temporarily prevent the equipment from powering up every connected customer in the area, personnel will aim to restore as many as possible to provide relief before replacement equipment can be installed. In some instances, personnel may leave the area to work on other nearby repairs while replacement equipment is in route. This does not mean that Oncor has closed the outage or that we will not prioritize its full restoration.