Power outages & winter storms
Power touches almost everything: heat, water, medicine, money. A little backup goes a long way.
Outages come from winter storms, wind, wildfire shutoffs, earthquakes, and equipment failures. Short ones are an inconvenience; long ones in a Utah winter are a safety issue, especially for people who rely on powered medical equipment.
Why it matters in Utah
- Power outages can affect your safety, food, medication and medical equipment, access to money and gas, heat and light, and even your water supply. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab)
- Winter storms raise the risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- Rocky Mountain Power used Public Safety Power Shutoffs in southern Utah during extreme fire conditions in June 2026. Rocky Mountain Power (opens source in a new tab)
- A refrigerator keeps food cold for about 4 hours if unopened; a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
Who's most affected
- Anyone who uses oxygen concentrators, CPAP or BiPAP, power wheelchairs, home dialysis, or refrigerated medicines. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab) Rocky Mountain Power (opens source in a new tab)
- Older adults, infants, and anyone vulnerable to cold. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- Mobile and manufactured homes and rural or canyon homes, which may wait longer for restoration.
What to do
1 Before
- Talk to your medical provider about a power-outage plan for powered devices and refrigerated medicines. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- If someone relies on powered medical equipment, ask Rocky Mountain Power about its Medical Certificate program (a medical professional must complete the application). Rocky Mountain Power (opens source in a new tab)
- Install carbon monoxide alarms with battery backup, and test smoke alarms. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- Keep flashlights for every household member, plus power banks and a battery or hand-crank radio. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab) Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- Winterize your car and keep an emergency kit in it, and check road conditions before you go. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- If you buy a generator, plan to run it only outdoors; connect it to home wiring only through a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab)
2 During
- Keep the fridge and freezer closed. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- Never use a generator, grill, camp stove, or charcoal indoors or in a garage. Run generators outdoors at least 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents. CDC (opens source in a new tab) Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab)
- Don't heat your home with a gas oven or stove. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- Layer clothing, gather in one room, and hang blankets over windows and doors. If it gets dangerously cold, go to a warming location. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab) Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- Stay far from downed lines. Report them to Rocky Mountain Power at 1-888-221-7070, or call 911. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab)
- Protect pipes: insulate them and let faucets drip in freezing weather. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab)
3 After
- When in doubt, throw it out: discard food exposed to 40°F or higher for two hours or more. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- Turn your porch light on when power returns; crews patrol to see which lights are on. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab)
- Restock batteries and fuel; note what you missed most.