Decatur Utilities provides electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater services in the greater Decatur, Alabama area to over 30,000 customers. We are proud to provide our valued customers quality services at competitive rates. Our utility rates are based on the cost of the utility service, and we are dedicated to providing the lowest rates in the Tennessee Valley. We are here to serve you – our customer, community, neighbor, and friend.

Decatur Outage Status Map (Mobile accessible):
https://gis.decaturutilities.com/publicviewer/

Power Restoration

What should I do if my power goes off?
First check your circuit breakers or fuses. Reset your main breaker by turning it off and back on. If your power is still out, check outside around your meter to verify that it is not damaged and check for fallen trees. Stay away from all downed wires. Do not step in nearby puddles or attempt to move any object that comes in contact with a wire. Do not attempt to move downed power lines. Please call Decatur Utilities at (256) 552-1400. Turn off air conditioners and large appliances and wait approximately 10 to 15 minutes after service is restored to turn back on these appliances.

Does Decatur Utilities know when I have lost power?
When substations or transmission lines are affected, DU will know that your power is out. Your situation may not be related to a large outage and may be an isolated case. In any event, please call us at (256) 552-1400. Our goal is to restore your power as quickly as possible.

Who do I call if a tree falls on or near a power line?
Call DU immediately. Electric lines may be within the downed tree and could cause electrocution. Stay clear of any downed trees. If trees have pulled the service away from your house, repairs must be made by a qualified electrician before service can be restored. In this event, an inspection by the Decatur Building Department is required before we can restore service.

How can I tell if a downed line is still carrying electricity?
Your safety is the first priority. Always assume any downed line is hot and electrocution is a real danger. Do not allow children or anyone around downed power lines or other cables and call us immediately. Also stay clear of chain link fences which may be energized if touching a downed line.

What are DU’s priorities when restoring power?
Severe storms, high wind, lightning and other extreme weather conditions can result in major damage to the electrical system and a significant number of customers can be without power. Decatur Utilities has crews that will work around the clock until all power is restored. Hospitals, police, fire and other public health and rescue facilities are our first priority. First repairs are made to the transmission lines that feed our various substations. If necessary, repairs are made to substations and distribution lines that supply power to homes, businesses and industrial customers. Crews will then repair damage to tap lines that branch off to neighborhoods. Power is then restored to pockets of customers and individual homes. We encourage you to stay away from areas where crews are working. If driving, follow road signs and drive cautiously.

What if I have special medical needs?
If you or a family member relies on an electrical life-sustaining medical device in your home, call us to make sure we are aware of the situation. It is necessary for us to know that there is someone in your home whose life may be in danger if power is not promptly restored. In some cases, severe storms can damage our electrical system so badly that it may take days to repair. If you depend on electricity, it is important to have an emergency back-up plan in place for your peace of mind and the safety of your family. For more information please call (256) 552-1400.

When will power be restored?
This is a critical question for all of us and it can be extremely difficult to pinpoint an exact time. Homes, businesses and industrial plants all need power to operate. We know it is very frustrating for your power to be out. In most cases, electrical service can be restored in a matter of hours, but circumstances do happen where service may be out for several days. In these cases, we have crews working around the clock until power is restored. Decatur Utilities will utilize all personnel available and will seek assistance from neighboring utilities until the emergency has ended and service is restored.

What should I do if I cannot contact Decatur Utilities?
Our phones are answered by our Customer Service Department and our Dispatch Center. In major outages, employees are called in to help answer calls; however, due to the number of calls, it may not be possible for us to answer every call. Please wait a few minutes and call us again until you are successful. Be assured your call is important to us and it is best not to assume that we know your power is out. Please note that sending us an e-mail or calling a different number is not the most efficient way to contact us.

Why would a Decatur Utilities truck pass my house without stopping to restore my power?
This is a common question and there may be several reasons. Your outage may be related to a larger outage and crews are searching the area to determine the reason for the outage. There may be trees, lines or poles down and these must be repaired before your service can be restored. Stopping a crew to ask questions or make a special request may only slow down restoration. The truck you see may be an engineer or employee that may be looking for other causes of trouble such as gas or water leaks or sewer overflows.

How long will food keep in my freezer or refrigerator if the power goes out?
A fully stocked freezer will keep food for approximately 2 days. If the freezer is one-half full, estimate 1 day. Generally an unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for approximately 4 hours. After the power is restored, check the temperature in the refrigerator. The temperature should be at or below 40 degrees and the freezer should be around zero degrees. If you have any concerns regarding the safety of food, it is best to discard.

Do some customers get preferential treatment during an outage?
The answer is no. We repair damage that will restore power to the greatest number of customers in the least amount of time.

Will my account with Decatur Utilities be credited for the time that my power was out?
Decatur Utilities will only charge you for the electricity that you use. This is not like the other services where you pay a set monthly fee.