Power out in the Tri-Cities? Who to call and how to get alerts

If the power goes out in St. Charles, Geneva or Batavia, report it by phone: St. Charles at 866-444-0016, Geneva at 630-232-1503 (630-232-4736 after hours) and Batavia Electric at 630-454-2852. A comment on the city's Facebook page is not an outage report. Save your number now, along with the steps for getting updates.

St. Charles: one outage number, day or night

St. Charles Electric Utility customers should call 866-444-0016, available 24 hours a day. The city specifically asks customers not to call the main city number or Public Works to report an outage. Those calls cannot be transferred to the outage hotline.

You can register up to two phone numbers with the Automated Outage Reporting System by calling Utility Billing at 630-377-4426. Registered numbers are linked to your utility account, helping the system identify the outage location when you call. Registration also allows a callback to confirm that power has been restored.

If you saw a flash or heard a loud bang when the outage began, the city asks that you report that information, too.

Geneva: the reporting number changes after hours

Call the Geneva Public Works Electrical Division at 630-232-1503 from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

After hours, call the Geneva Police Department's non-emergency number, 630-232-4736. Police will contact the on-call Electric Division staff.

Geneva allows online outage reports during normal business hours, but its online request tracker and social media accounts are not monitored around the clock. For a large outage, the city directs residents to its community alerts and official social channels. Use the city's notification subscription page to sign up for community alerts.

Residents who use life support equipment at home should notify Tri-Com Central Dispatch at 630-232-4739, according to the city's outage guidance, so emergency dispatchers can keep them informed during an extended outage.

Batavia: call even if neighbors already reported it

Batavia Electric customers should call 630-454-BULB (2852), even if they believe someone else has reported the problem. Do not rely on social media comments to report an outage.

Some residents inside Batavia city limits receive electricity from ComEd. The city says those customers should report outages directly to ComEd instead.

For updates, check the city's website, Facebook page or mobile app. Batavia does not maintain an outage map. For outages lasting more than two hours and/or affecting large portions of the community, the city may issue Alert Batavia, also called CodeRED, notifications. Small, isolated outages typically do not trigger those alerts.

To subscribe, text ALERTBATAVIA to 24639 or use the Alert Batavia account portal.

Put a few basics within reach

Batavia's preparedness guidance recommends flashlights, fresh batteries, charged devices, blankets and important prescription refills. During an outage, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible, stay away from fallen or low-hanging wires, and never use a gas range or oven to heat your home.