With the help of various monitoring systems, the Utilities Department is typically alerted immediately when an outage occurs. During an outage, there are specific stages that occur to assure power is restored as quickly as possible.  

Stage One: 0-2 hours of outage

During this stage, technicians will respond to the outage, determine the cause and begin repairs.  No notifications related to the power outage will occur during this initial stage. Most outages are resolved in the first stage.

Stage Two: 2-4 hours of outage

If a larger issue is identified that requires more significant repairs, utility technicians will work to identify additional assets or support needed to bring power back up. During this process, they will identify and begin switching to a redundant power supply in order to bring power back where available. When outages occur after hours, Facilities staff will return to campus to assist with repairs and a notification may be sent out campus-wide if it appears that the power will not be restored in the first half of this stage.

Stage Three: 4-8 hours of outage

Power outages that exceed 4 hours are rare. During this phase, an emergency command center will be established at Facilities Management and notification will be sent through available channels to notify the campus community of the outage.

Power Outage Reports

Frequently Asked Questions

• If my building has a loss of power, who do I contact?
• Please contact the Customer Experience Center at 530-752-1655.
• How long does it typically take to restore power?
• For most power outages, typically power will be restored within the first stage of 0-2 hours.
• How often do power outages happen on campus?
• Outages on core campus are rare. Outages that occur outside of the core campus are more frequent, due to the location and susceptibility of overhead power lines to the elements.
• Who can tell me when the power will be restored?
• The Customer Experience Center receives updates during power outages.  Please call 530-752-1655 for the latest update.
• What if only my office or part of the building has lost power?
• Please contact the Customer Experience Center to request a work order at 530-752-1655.
• How do I know if it's a tripped breaker?
• Breakers are safety devices built into the electrical panel. If a breaker has tripped, it typically indicates an issue. If you suspect a tripped breaker, please contact the Customer Experience Center to report the outage. We will dispatch an electrician to determine the cause.
• Can I reset my breaker for my building?
• No. A tripped breaker typically indicates an issue and trips as a safety precaution. Resetting breakers should always be done by an experienced Facilities Management electrical technician. Contact the Customer Experience Center at 530-752-1655.
• Will I be contacted by the technician when power is restored?
• It depends. During the first stage, no notifications will be sent. If your department and/or building has equipment or rooms that have alarm monitoring, a technician may contact you to assure the equipment is restored when the power returns.
• Do I need to be onsite when power is restored to my building?
• During power outages, alarm monitoring is deployed and the Customer Experience Center will call the principal contacts to alert them if the system is alarming. Depending on the sensitivity of your equipment, you may choose to be onsite to assure it restores correctly. We strongly encourage all departments that have sensitive research to consider alarm monitoring and to also keep their alarm emergency contacts up to date using this form.
• What happens when there is an outage after hours?
• Facilities Management has personnel onsite 24/7 that can respond as needed during an outage.  Additional staff will be deployed if support is needed.
• What is UC Davis doing to prevent outages?
• Facilities Management is proactively investing in infrastructure to manage and maintain power for our growing campus. This includes the investment of a new sub-station and an additional transformer to support our power needs. 
  
  Our Utility Department has an array of programs to monitor our power, and consistently conducts preventative and ongoing maintenance to ensure our utilities are working properly and avoid any unexpected outages.
  
  Other efforts include ongoing research and implementation of available technology, as well as automating the grid to transfer power to backup sources during an outage where available.
• What if power goes out and my research is at risk?
• Research and animal welfare are our top priority. Please contact the Customer Experience Center for assistance at 530-752-1655.