Safety

Your safety is very important to MGE.

Call MGE's emergency line to report a gas odor or electric outage

Gas - Madison area calls: 252-1111
Electric - Madison area calls: 252-7111
Long distance calls: 1-800-245-1123

Electrical Disturbances

Electric systems are subject to many disturbances which cause momentary or extended power outages.

Outage causes include:

Natural events – storms, animals touching wires or tree branches brushing power lines
Vehicle accidents that involve electric equipment
Contractors accidentally digging into lines
Equipment malfunctions or failure

Plan ahead for electrical emergencies. Consider:

Emergency lighting system
Emergency fire pump
Emergency power system
Equipment or system shutdown priorities

If your lights go out

See if your neighboring businesses have power:

If they do, check your fuses or circuit breakers
If not, look out your windows for anything unusual like fallen wires or tree limbs on a line. Stay away from any downed wires.
Call the MGE ALERT line to report the situation at your business
Unplug sensitive electronic equipment and turn off light switches to help prevent overloads when power is restored
Keep any refrigerator or freezer doors closed
Use a battery-operated radio for news updates
If your power remains out after your neighboring businesses have lights, call MGE
Check the current power outages

If you smell gas

In your building
If you smell a strong, persistent gas odor, immediately:

Put out all open flames
Don't smoke or light any matches
Don't touch any electrical light or appliance switches
Don't use your phone; it may cause a spark
Leave the building and call MGE from a neighboring business, away from the gas odor. As you leave, open doors and windows, but only if you can do so quickly and easily.
Stay away from your building until you've been told that it is safe to return.

Outdoors
If you smell natural gas outdoors, call us immediately. If there's a major leak, such as one caused by excavators or a vehicle damaging a gas line:

Call MGE immediately
Notify the police and fire departments
Warn others to stay away from the area of the apparent leak.

For more information

Business Electric and Gas Safety [303 kB PDF]
Control Natural Gas Emergencies [1.3 MB PDF]
Customer-Owned Natural Gas Pipes
Diggers Hotline
Disaster Recovery Planning
Electric Safety
Electrical Disturbances, How to Protect Businesses [503 kB PDF]
Emergency Responder Training
Energy Emergency Guide [615 kB PDF]
Natural Gas Pipeline and Public Safety [981 kB PDF]
Natural Gas Safety
Portable Generators
Power Outages
Protecting PCs from Power Outages [347 kB PDF]