The strong winds are causing power outages in Rio Rancho and Bernalillo Thursday, March 30.

As of 4:15 p.m., 13 outages were reported on the PNM Outage Map.

Winds will continue to be strong with gusts close to 50 mph through 8 p.m.

In case an outage occurs, PNM has provided some safety tips for customers:

Electrical equipment

  • Turn off any appliances (like stoves) and unplug electrical equipment that you were using when the power went out.
  • Turn off all lights, except one, so you’ll know when power has been restored.
  • Unplug or turn off TVs, stereos or game systems.

Food

  • Keep refrigerator or freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold.
  • Buy dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for more than four hours.

Inside your home

  • Use flashlights for emergency lighting and consider using flameless LED candles because regular candles can cause fires.
  • In the summer, it can get very warm when the power is off for a long time. Move to the lowest level of your home, since cool air falls. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing and drink plenty of water, even if you do not feel thirsty. Consider going to a movie theater, shopping mall or somewhere else that might not be affected by the outage, that has air conditioning to keep you and your family cool and comfortable.
  • In the winter, wear layers of warm clothing. Do not use your oven as a source of heat. If the power may be out for a prolonged period, plan to go to another location (the home of a relative or friend, or a public facility) that has heat to keep warm.

Generator safety

  • If you are considering purchasing a generator for your home, consult an electrician or engineer before purchasing and installing.
  • Only use generators away from your home and NEVER run a generator inside a home or garage, or connect it to your home’s electrical system.

If it is an emergency, call 911. If you need to report an outage PNM’s website offers a submission page at https://www.pnm.com/report-an-outage. They also accept phone calls at 1-888-342-5766.