Generator Safety

When the power goes out, having a generator means that you can continue to have heat, light, and many of the modern conveniences we’ve all come to enjoy and rely on. Please make sure that you aren’t creating unnecessary danger by properly and safely using your generator to prevent backfeed. It could save a life!

What is generator backfeed? Backfeed occurs when power travels from the generator back through the utility lines and reenergizes them, creating a potentially deadly situation for our Linemen.

To prevent backfeed, generators—whether permanent or portable—should never be plugged into a home’s wiring or directly into the circuit breaker panel. Instead, a transfer switch should be installed. A transfer switch ensures your household wiring, or selected circuits to be supplied by the generator, can’t be connected to the power grid and the generator at the same time, eliminating any chance of backfeed. It also protects your generator from damage if the power is restored while it’s connected. Make sure a qualified, licensed electrician installs the transfer switch for you.

NLI’s responsibility for electric service ends at the meter. We do not know when, or if, you have installed a generator, and we do not know if the installation was done to the specifications of the National Electric Code.