Application for service should be made in person at the BPU Business Offices at 92 Steele St if at all possible.

Customer Service personnel will assist you with completion of the application.

The utility would prefer that you present two forms of identification, one of which should be a photo ID.

If you wish to apply for service over the telephone, please call the Customer Service Department at (716) 661-1660 and a representative will be able to assist you. Hours are 7 A.M. to 5:30 P.M., Monday through Friday.

You will be billed for your service once a month.

Payment is due 23 days after your bill is mailed to you.

EMERGENCY SERVICES: WHAT TO DO IF THE LIGHTS GO OUT

If the Power Goes Out...

First, look outside and see if the outage has included your neighbors. If it hasn't, the problem may be within your own home. Check your fuse box or circuit breaker panel to see if you can locate the problem. If the neighboring houses are dark too; look for trees or branches on the lines, downed wires, flashes of light, or any other signs of trouble. DO NOT touch or attempt to move any electric lines or trees or any other obstacles in contact with electric lines.

CONTACT US

When an outage occurs please call the BPU at 661-1640. During or after a major storm, calling will take a great deal of patience because many other people are also trying to call. It is natural to be tempted to ask how long the power will be out, but it is an almost impossible question to answer. Be assured we will get to you as soon as we can. There is no need to keep calling. However, if your power was restored and then failed again, or if you are in one of those small pockets of dark houses when the rest of the neighborhood has had its power restored, please call again.

Also, tune your battery operated radio to local stations, as we give updates to the public as to the status of repairs.

YOU CAN HELP!

Always keep a flashlight and battery-powered radio on hand for emergencies.

When an outage occurs or lasts for an extended period of time, a heavy burden is placed on the system at the moment the power is restored. This high demand can cause an overload on the system and you could lose power once again. To prevent this, turn everything off in your home except one light.

In addition, make sure the surface elements on your electric range have been turned off and that other heat-producing appliances are off as well because, if left on, they can pose a serious fire hazard after the power has been restored.

When the one light you have left on - glows, you will know that the power has been restored and you may gradually switch your appliances back on and return thermostats to their normal settings.