Outage Center
PrintRegister your mobile phone before an outage. Tap Register for Text Alerts and send NLI to 866-665-4837. Your cellphone number must be listed on your Northern Lights account.
Downed Power Line?
Stay away and keep others away. Always assume a downed or damaged power line is energized. Never touch the line, anything touching it, or attempt to move it.
Is Your Power Out?
Before reporting an outage, take a few quick steps to determine whether the problem may be inside your home or business and whether Northern Lights already has an outage identified in your area.
- Check your electrical panel for a tripped breaker.
- Check whether neighboring homes or businesses are also without power.
- Check the outage map to see whether an outage is already identified in your area.
Report Your Outage
Northern Lights offers four ways to report a power outage. Choose the option that works best for you.
Call the Outage Line
Call Northern Lights 24 hours a day to report a power outage.
Follow the automated instructions. Have your account or meter information available when possible.
Text the Outage Line
Text OUT to 866-665-4837 to report a power outage.
Not registered for text alerts? Click here to register
NLI — Enroll your mobile phone for outage texting.
OUT — Report a power outage.
STATUS — Request an outage update.
QUIT — Stop receiving outage text messages and opt out of the texting service.
Your cellphone number must be listed on your Northern Lights account. Northern Lights does not charge for this service. Message and data rates from your wireless provider may apply. To stop receiving outage text messages at any time, text QUIT to 866-665-4837.
Report Through the Outage Map
Use the Northern Lights outage map to report your outage online.
1. Open the outage map.
2. Select Report an Outage.
3. Enter your account number or meter number when prompted.
You can also use the outage map to view current known outages in the Northern Lights service area.
Report Through SmartHub
Use your Northern Lights SmartHub account to report your outage online.
1. Sign in to SmartHub.
2. Select Contact Us.
3. Choose Report Power Outage.
SmartHub provides access to your Northern Lights account and outage-reporting tools. Keeping your account contact information current also helps Northern Lights maintain accurate phone and email information for outage communications.
Stay Connected
Before an outage occurs, make sure the phone numbers and email addresses associated with your Northern Lights account are current. Accurate contact information helps ensure outage communication tools work as intended.
You can review your account information through SmartHub. For outage texting, the cellphone number you use must be listed on your Northern Lights account.
Prepare for an Extended Outage
Outages can occur with little warning because of severe weather, wildfire, falling trees, equipment damage, vehicle accidents, or other emergencies. Every household and business has different needs, so it is important to have a plan before an extended outage occurs.
Consider including the following in your outage plan:
- Keep phones, battery packs, flashlights, and other essential devices charged and ready.
- Maintain drinking water, non-perishable food, and other basic emergency supplies.
- If your home relies on a well, plan for how you will access water when electric pumps are unavailable.
- If livestock, pets, or other animals depend on electrically powered water systems, maintain an appropriate backup water supply.
- If someone in your household depends on electrically powered medical equipment or has another critical need for continuous power, plan ahead for backup power or an alternate location where power is available.
- Know how you will receive emergency information and where you would go if local authorities issue an evacuation order.
Wildfire & Hazardous Conditions
Wildfire, extreme weather, and other hazardous conditions can affect electric service across North Idaho and Western Montana. Outages may occur with little warning, and restoration may take longer when conditions make it unsafe for crews to immediately access or re-energize portions of the electric system.
Before power can be safely restored in some situations, crews may need to assess damage, make repairs, patrol affected power lines, and confirm that the system can be safely energized. These safety steps can make estimated restoration times difficult to provide early in an event.
Conditions affecting your electric service may also be located some distance from your home or business. Even when conditions appear calm where you are, fire, wind, damaged equipment, or other hazards elsewhere on the system may still affect service.
During a wildfire or other emergency, follow evacuation orders and instructions issued by local emergency officials. If there is an immediate threat to life or safety, call 911.
Major Outage Updates
During widespread outages, severe weather, wildfire events, or other major incidents, Northern Lights may post broader restoration and system updates on our website and Facebook page.
The outage map remains the best source for current known outage locations and available outage information.
During a major event, outage-map information and estimated restoration times may take time to update while dispatchers and crews prioritize public safety, emergency response, damage assessment, line patrols, repairs, and restoration work. When conditions are changing rapidly, an estimated restoration time may not be available until crews can safely assess the affected area.
Help Us Locate the Problem
If it is safe to do so, tell us what you saw or heard and where it occurred. Helpful details may include a damaged pole, wire on the ground, tree on a power line, loud bang or pop, partial power, repeated blinking, or a blank meter display.
Never approach damaged electrical equipment or a power line to gather information.
Power Already Reported?
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible, turn off or unplug sensitive electronics, and leave one light switched on so you know when power is restored.
If you use a generator, follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions. Operate portable generators outdoors and away from homes, garages, doors, windows, and other enclosed spaces. Never connect a generator directly to your home’s electrical wiring unless approved transfer equipment has been properly installed.
Weather Information
View current forecasts, watches, and warnings from the National Weather Service offices serving Northern Lights members in North Idaho and Western Montana.
