An uninterrupted supply of electricity is considered an important condition for creating prosperous living conditions. This is important for both residential buildings and industrial organizations.
The fact is that a power outage can cause serious losses for a business . That is why it is worth thinking about in which cases a shutdown is legal, planned, and in which it is not. If the situation is emergency, then you need to find out how long the power supply may be interrupted.
Shutdown standards
Today there are certain standards that regulate the specifics of power outages and determine time intervals. In particular, this is the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 442 “On the functioning of retail markets for electrical energy, complete and (or) partial restrictions on the consumption of electrical energy.”
In connection with this resolution, restrictions are introduced:
- if the consumer has violated the terms specified in the agreement, these may be financial obligations, unauthorized connection to the network;
- by mutual decision;
- due to renovation work;
- by decision of Rospotrebnadzor;
- due to breakdown or emergency.
Suppliers must provide notice when the lights are turned on and when they are turned off. This applies to situations where the work is planned.
Announcements of such outages due to repair work must be distributed no later than 10 days before the power is turned off . They should contain information about the shutdown, the timing of when the power will be turned on, and the basis for the shutdown.
ATTENTION! All existing regulations regarding power outages during scheduled repairs must be specified in the agreement between the consumer and the supplier.
What to do when the lights go out
First of all, you shouldn’t panic, but you should try to find the source of the problem. If you don’t know what to do when the lights in your apartment go out, we offer an approximate algorithm of actions.
1.Where did the light go?
Find out where there is no power - just you or the whole house. Exit to the landing. If it’s dark there and the elevator doesn’t work, it means the whole house is out of power. To find out the reason, call the emergency service. The dispatcher will explain the reason and tell you the approximate time to restore the line's functionality.
All electricity consumers must know the numbers:
- emergency dispatch service, which belongs to your management company;
- 112 – rescue services;
- city operational dispatch service;
- Energosbyt services.
If only you have lost electricity, we move on.
2.Disconnecting electrical appliances
Carefully inspect all electrical appliances plugged into outlets. If you smell a burning smell, carefully unplug the appliance using the plug without touching the exposed wires. Also turn off all powerful appliances.
In some cases, professional help from an electrician is required; it is not recommended to do anything on your own:
- sockets or electrical panels spark;
- There is a distinct smell of burnt plastic coming from the wiring.
Electrical wiring should only be repaired by a professional; do not attempt to repair it yourself.
Advice. In case of a sudden power outage, always keep a flashlight, candles, matches or lighter in an easily accessible place. Then you will know what to do if the light in the apartment goes out.
3.Checking the machine
Check that the circuit breaker switches are turned on. The machine knocks out during sudden voltage surges or during a short circuit. If the plugs are knocked out, do not turn it on immediately; first carefully inspect the insulation for damage. Carefully unplug all electrical appliances, only then activate the machine.
Using a tester, check for voltage by touching one end of the wire to the neutral terminal and the other to the input and output terminals:
- the indicator lights up every time you touch it – there are no problems with the machine;
- turns on only at the input terminals - the automatic device is faulty and needs to be replaced;
- does not turn on at all - a problem with the counter or automatic input device.
Note! Perform all operations with the electrical panel with only one hand, the other should be free and not touch anything.
4.Call an electrician
If turning on the circuit breakers does not help, call an electrician to your home. He knows exactly what to do when the light in the apartment goes out. The specialist will check the condition of the wiring, electrical appliances, voltage, and quickly solve your problem.
Official dates
It is important to consider how many constantly switched on consumers use electricity. According to the law, energy consumers are divided into three categories.
Depending on this, the periods for which the shutdown can be carried out are determined. So, if the consumer belongs to categories 1 or 2, then the shutdown period will depend on the conditions specified in the contract, the features of the electricity scheme, the availability of additional power sources, if it is turned off by law .
The standards say that consumers belonging to reliability category 3 cannot remain without power supply for longer than a certain period. The maximum time for which the lights can be turned off is 72 hours per year, and consumers cannot be left without electricity for more than 24 hours at a time. The exception is situations when an emergency shutdown occurs or repair work is carried out.
Category 3 is the majority of consumers, in particular apartment buildings and the private sector . For how long they can be turned off, the reasons for the lack of light can be found out from the manager, they should know about possible problems and accidents. Please note that the length of time the lights may be turned off does not vary depending on the time of year.
What should you do if there is no electricity in your house or apartment?
First of all, if there is no electricity in a house or apartment , you need to find out what the reason is. If you were not warned about scheduled repairs, most likely an emergency occurred somewhere, it is best to completely cut off the power to your home by turning off all appliances and unplugging the plugs from the sockets.
- Check the condition of the machine and whether all levers are turned on. If not, sniff to see if you can hear a burning smell, and only after making sure that there is none and that there are no melted places on the wires, turn on the lever.
There may be a technical problem
- If the light does not appear, the shutdown is truly an emergency . Then, in order to understand why this happened and how long to wait for the electricity to turn on, you should contact the appropriate authorities.
- In addition, ask your neighbors and friends if there was any warning about a possible lack of light. Perhaps you just missed it?
Outlaw
Many residents are concerned about how to find out whether the shutdown is legal or not, how long the work will take place, and why the power was turned off.
There are also situations when, even during repair work, disconnection is illegal. The illegality of disconnection can only be proven in court.
People have the right to take legal action, which may result in the provider being subject to criminal liability. This happens when there is a supply interruption and the consumer suffers property damage.
It is worth considering situations when electricity is turned off illegally:
- The shutdown lasted more than a day.
- There is no justification for the shutdown.
- Power went out for more than 72 hours throughout the year.
- The shutdown occurred by mistake.
- Shutdown before holidays, unless it was an emergency.
If you are concerned about what is often disconnected, where to complain, what to do if the disconnection was illegal, then the best solution would be to go to a lawyer. Experts will tell you about the rules, tell you how to get your filing restored, and help you prepare documents for going to court.
ATTENTION! If the disconnection was made due to debt, then after payment the supply must be restored within 24 hours. If the energy supplying organization has not done this, then you can contact the judicial authorities.
What to do if there is no electricity in a house or apartment due to non-payment?
- If there is no electricity in your house or apartment due to a debt, you can contact your service provider within 20 days. In order for the shutdown to not occur, it is necessary to either repay the debt in full or draw up an agreement on its restructuring, i.e. debt repayment schedule.
- No later than three days before the disconnection, if measures are not taken to repay the debt, the tenant must be notified of this again. If a shutdown cannot be avoided, then the power supply is restored within two days after the full amount of the debt is repaid.
Why might they stop supplying?
An agreement is concluded between the supplier and the consumer that governs all relations between them, including whether they should be warned about a planned outage. There are several ways to sign this agreement:
- unilateral signing of an agreement;
- bilateral signing of an agreement.
These agreements are legal if all conditions are met by the energy supplier and the user. If we consider the bodies that exercise control over the fulfillment of these obligations, then these are local authorities.
Legislation regulates various issues, for example, emergency short-term power outages. You need to understand that if the user does not fulfill his obligations, the supplier may turn off the power.
Actions of the consumer after the power is cut off
The first thing to do is call and find out the reasons for the power outage.
The only way out of the situation is to pay off the debt. In case of difficult financial situation, for example due to a small child, the law provides for payment in installments for six months. No one has the right to refuse this procedure. After repaying the amount in full or concluding an installment agreement, you contact the technical service of the power engineers with an application to reconnect the light in your apartment.
The connection service is paid. The cost of service providers varies, but does not exceed 1000 rubles. After paying for the connection, your apartment should be connected to electricity within 24 hours. The connection procedure is also activated. The principle of drawing up the act is the same as in the shutdown document.
All actions of energy workers and consumers are simple and understandable. One thing is clear that the debt is not legal, and you will still have to pay it.
Supplier liability
The supplier bears administrative responsibility for supply failures and breakdowns. Many consumers are interested in what rights they have. In case of malfunctions or damage, consumers can demand moral as well as material compensation.
If the conditions are violated by the supplier, the organization must compensate the consumer for damages and also pay a fine. The law states that the supplier must compensate people for equipment and devices that are out of order.
IMPORTANT! If the lights are turned off, the appliances break down because of this, but the supplier refuses to pay, then you should contact the local authorities.
Emergency or planned
Emergency shutdown occurs due to technical reasons, as a result of emergency situations. In this case, the light will be turned off without warning. It is clear that a prolonged power outage can cause significant damage. That is why every consumer should take into account the following information:
- The reasons why the emergency occurred, as well as the nature of the breakdown.
- Time frame within which the power supply will be restored.
- What to do if the repair time exceeds the norm.
During emergency repair work, shutdowns occur due to emergency situations. If it is possible to connect reserve power, the supplier usually uses it. A planned shutdown occurs if the repair work was planned; in this case, the electricians work according to a pre-thought-out scenario.
It doesn’t matter whether the outage occurs in winter or summer, the organization must warn people about the outage in advance . Today, a variety of notification methods can be used:
- by calling a phone;
- letter by email;
- personally;
- through the media.
How to complete the deactivation procedure
All actions of employees of the energy supply office must be recorded in a power outage act. All acts of power engineers are drawn up on company numbered forms. The document must contain the following mandatory information:
- Type of shutdown.
- The exact time of the action performed.
- Consumer personal data.
- A complete description of the metering device and its automation.
- The basis for working with the list of activities carried out by energy specialists previously.
The act is drawn up in three copies with mandatory signing by all parties. The signatures and seal of the organization are wet. Copies of them are a violation. If the consumer does not agree with the actions taken, he can write a special opinion on all copies.
Any mistake made when drawing up the act may lead to the fact that the power company’s actions to disconnect will be declared invalid and appealed to the prosecutor’s office.
Accident elimination standard
No more than 24 hours should pass before the lights are turned back on .
You also need to remember about the annual limit; it should not exceed 72 hours. It is very rare that there are situations where longer delays occur; they depend on the extent of the damage. But even in such situations, repair work must be carried out within a reasonable time. Otherwise, the supplier will bear administrative or criminal liability.
If the organization violates all deadlines and does not fulfill all of its obligations that are specified in the agreement, then the residents have every right to defend themselves. To find out the specifics of the situation, the reasons for the breakdown, or interruption of power supply, you can contact the HOA, as well as directly to the supplier.
ATTENTION! If necessary, you can call the dispatcher and tell about the violation and write a corresponding complaint. Even if the claims are ignored or remain unattended, then you need to go to court.
Please note that the statement of claim must contain all the necessary data:
- the name of the organization that supplies energy;
- date of suspension of filing;
- the exact date of the emergency;
- acts, inspections available on hand;
- state of energy supply;
- witness evidence;
- written refusals from officials.
Who to call if there is no electricity in your house or apartment?
- A universal telephone, if there is no electricity in the house, apartment, and in general “for all occasions” - 112 . This is the Emergency Service number, which is available even if the phone’s SIM card is missing. Your call will be accepted and, if necessary, forwarded to specialists. Technical service 01 will also help.
- You can contact your management company, where they most likely have the necessary information.
- If you have a payment receipt at hand, look, it should indicate the emergency number - you can also call it.
- an emergency service in your area. Use a directory or the Internet to find out the required phone number. And the best thing is to find out in advance all the necessary emergency numbers of utility companies and record them in your mobile phone.
- Energy company hotlines will also tell you what the problem is. Find the corresponding number on your electricity supplier's website and save it.
Emergency numbers
