Power cut

There is an exceptional winter in front of us, and we might probably suffer from the lack of electricity including even power cuts for which we will have to try to be prepared.

Fortunately, there are some good advice on how to prepare actively for possible power cuts. A power cut lasting a couple of hours does not cause big problems, if you are prepared in advance.

Saving electricity reduces the probability of the power cuts

In Finland, Fingrid, the national grid, controls the electricity situation in the whole country instructing electric power network companies to carry out power cuts, if there is a risk of a power shortage.

The regional electric power network companies give information on their situation to their customers via companies´s fault situation services and their webpages and via social media. In advance planned local power cuts take approximately 1,5 - 2 hours at a time depending on the company, and they will be valid in turns in different parts of Jyväskylä - the whole Jyväskylä Region is not going to remain without distribution of electricity at the same time. If the power shortage will be prolonged, the cuts will be repeated at intervals of few hours.

The best way to avoid the controlled power cuts is to consumer your electricity economically especially during the biggest consumption time, that is on weekdays between 8am and 10 am and in the evenings between 4pm and 8pm. 

Order messages of fault situations

The electricity is sold and distributed by different companies. The power cuts will be carried out regionally and therefore the electric power network company responding for your electricity transmission also lets you know about the possible power cuts. 

In Jyväskylä, there are three operating electric power network companies:

• Alva Sähköverkko
• Elenia Verkko  
• Järvi-Suomen Energia  

Find out to which electric power network company' s area you belong. An accurate information on your electric company is found on your electricity transmission bill. 

• Alva Sähköverkko (the area of the former City of Jyväskylä)
• Järvi-Suomen Energia (partly Vaajakoski, Leppälahti, Oravasaari, Oittila, Putkilahti, Rutalahti)
• Elenia Verkko (other areas of the former Rural Municipality of Jyväskylä and Korpilahti)

Order the fault situation messages from the company's panel service:

• Alva Sähköverkko: Monitori - panel service
• Elenia Verkko: Elenia Aina - panel service
• Järvi-Suomen Energia: Helmi - panel service  

Make preparations in advance for power cuts 

Learn about the instructions related to electricity saving and power cuts given on the webpages of your electric power network company. 

Keep at home the so called emergency supply containing food, water, medicine, cash and other supplies to manage independently at least by the power cuts caused situations lasting for several hours - preferably so that you can make it on your own even 3 days, that is 72 hours, even if there would be a long-lasting power cut. Good instructions related to the domestic supply can be read on the webpage 72hours.fi.

Power cuts may also cause water supply cuts, so you should make preparations for it, too. Keep some clean drinking water at home for the need lasting for a few days and clean water buckets with lids or water reservoirs to store water and to transport it. 

Get ready for this in advance even otherwise. Make sure that your phone's battery is fully charged and your torch ready to be used. Make plans for e.g. cooking, toilet visits and personal hygiene during power cuts.

Here is how to act during a power cut

Stay cool and your heart warm. During a power cut lasting for a couple of hours, the flats won't get too cold and the frozen food supplies don't defrost. Please do help others, if their situation is more difficult. 

Switch off the household appliances and electrical device (especially the cooker, coffee maker and sauna stove) to avoid the fire risk after your electricity is back on. 

Let one light stay switched on so that you notice that the electricity is back on, when the light comes on.

Don't open the door of the fridge or the freezer in vain to keep them cool.

Use tab water as little as possible during the power cut. Similarly, pour water down the drain as little as possible - in this way, you can prevent the overflows of the drains. If there is no water supply, you can flush your toilet only once.

If you burn candles, take care of their non-flammable candle mold and don't leave the candles unsupervised in the room.

Measures taken after a power cut

When the power is back on and the water distribution works again in a normal way and with usual pressure, there may come off deposits or air from the water supply network making the water unclear. If the water's color is unusual, it smells or tastes strangely, don't use it as your domestic water. Usually, the water gets clear, when you run it for a while.

Continue using the power economically. Everyone can with one´s own economical consumption of electricity can have an impact on possible implementation of the power cuts. Tips how to save electricity can be found on the Down a degree – To ensure energy for us all webpage.