According to the National Weather Service, much of the state will be impacted by a winter storm over the next several days, bringing extreme cold, snowfall, and ice. It’s projected that the beginnings of the storm will reach our service area this Saturday, January 24 late evening, and conditions may extend through Monday morning.

Our team is preparing in the event we experience outages, and we want to help you prepare as well. Take a look at the tips and information below as you plan for the storm, and learn how to stay informed as we restore power.

The above map, provided by the National Weather Service, shows projected snowfall for Ohio, ending Sunday, January 25, 2026. Click the map to view active alerts, forecasts, and local radars.

Does someone in your home rely on medical devices that require electricity, like oxygen, a power wheelchair, or home dialysis equipment? If so, we strongly encourage you to arrange for a backup power source, or have a plan for where to go in the event you lose power at home.

Make sure to include the following essentials: blankets, bottled water, non-perishable foods, flashlights with batteries, necessary medications, and charged power banks for electronics. For more help preparing a disaster kit, visit ready.gov.

Do you know where you’ll go if your power gets knocked out? Your community may have established warming shelters in place – oftentimes schools, libraries, and churches.

Our crews work hard to keep you safe and restore your power quickly. Stay up to date with NCE’s live outage map.

Visit the Outage Center for all updates and safety information.

Outages can be reported 24/7 by calling 419-426-3072. If the phone number you call from is listed on your account, your outage will automatically be logged through our system once you begin hearing the outage message. The number you call from MUST be listed on your account for this process to work, otherwise you will need to speak with a representative.

IF YOU ARE UNSURE WHETHER YOUR PHONE NUMBER IS UP TO DATE, UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION HERE.

Please keep in mind that the outage line may become very busy if there is a major outage affecting a large number of members. If you do not get through on the first try, please wait a few minutes and try again.

Members can update their information, monitor electric use, and pay their bill at the click of a button with our free account management app, SmartHub. Create an account on our website and download the mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Call 911 immediately if you spot a broken power line or pole. Emergency personnel will alert NCE and the lines will be de-energized, if they haven’t been already. NEVER approach a downed power line or touch anything it’s come in contact with.

Keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as possible to keep the cold air in. If refrigerated or frozen food reaches 40 degrees or warmer, throw it out.

Never plug a generator into the circuit box. Doing so may result in serious injury for the line workers restoring your power.

Vehicle accidents are often the cause of outages. Trees, utility poles, and power lines could potentially block roadways and cause unsafe conditions. If you see utility crews working, please slow down and move over so they can continue to work safely.