Some members use an electric generator as a standby system to keep lights and appliances running until power is restored.
Illustration of an electric generatorA generator can help save food in your refrigerator and power other essential equipment, but it can also pose serious safety hazards to you and to others, so please follow all safety instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Before starting your generator, carefully read and follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure that the total electric load on your generator will not exceed the manufacturer’s rating. Always place your generator where its exhaust will vent safely.
The law requires that members with a permanently installed or portable generator do not connect it to another power source, such as Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative’s (PSREC) power lines. If you own and operate a generator, you are responsible for making sure that electricity from your unit cannot “backfeed,” or flow into PSREC’s power lines. For safety’s sake, be sure to use your generator correctly; hire a licensed electrician to install a transfer switch that distributes power from the generator to your home’s circuit box. A double-pole, double-throw transfer switch is recommended to keep your generator from backfeeding into PSREC’s system. The switch also keeps PSREC’s power from re-energizing your house while your generator is running, protecting your equipment when power is restored.
If you do not install and operate your generator properly, you risk damaging your property and endangering your life and the lives of PSREC line workers who may be working on power lines. You are responsible for any injuries or damage to your property, your neighbors’ or PSREC’s, from an improperly installed or operated generator.