If your neighbors are out too, it is a utility outage: report it to your electric utility. If only your home is out, check the main breaker, then call an electrician. If lights are dim or half the house works, call the utility first, since the problem can be on their side. For a downed line, call 911.
Who to call
Whole street is dark: call the utility.
Only your home is dark and the main breaker is on: call the utility first, then an electrician if they find no problem on their side.
One room or a few outlets are dead: check breakers and GFCIs, then call an electrician.
Lights are dim, flickering together or half the house works: call the utility first.
Burning smell, sparks or a hot panel: call an electrician now.
A power line is down: stay away and call 911.
Your utility in Sun City
Most homes in Sun City and Sun City West are served by APS (Arizona Public Service). Your bill shows your utility. You can report an outage to APS by phone, on its website or in its app. For a downed line, APS says to call 911 first.
Safe steps at home
Open the outer panel door and check the main breaker and any tripped breakers. Reset a tripped breaker once. Unplug sensitive electronics so a surge does not hit them when power returns. Use flashlights, not candles. If anyone relies on powered medical equipment, tell the utility when you report the outage.
When it is ours
If the utility says the problem is on your side of the meter, call us at (602) 999-2770. A real person answers, any hour. We will tell you whether it can wait, and you will hear the price before anyone drives out. Nights and weekends cost more, and we say so up front.
Stay away from any downed power line and call 911. Assume every downed line is live.
Common questions
Who fixes the wires from the pole to my house?
In general the utility owns the lines up to the meter. Wiring on the house side of the meter is the homeowner’s, and an electrician repairs it. Your utility can confirm where its responsibility ends.
Why does half my house have power?
Homes are fed by two lines. If one is lost, often on the utility side, half the circuits go out. Call the utility first.
Should I call an electrician during a neighborhood outage?
No. An electrician cannot restore utility power. Report it to the utility and wait for them.
