Frequently Asked Questions: Streetlight Outages
Q. How do I know if someone has come to check on a streetlight that not functioning properly?
A. If we were successful in repairing the light, it should be operating shortly after we receive the outage call.
Q. When can I expect the streetlight to be repaired?
A. The cause of a streetlight outage impacts the length of time necessary to resolve the problem. Most streetlight outages can be repaired within a few days. However, damage to underground facilities may require additional time to repair a streetlight. Streetlight repairs could take up to 15 days to complete. Additionally, if a streetlight is not maintained by Oncor, the responsible party must be notified, which can delay repairs. Providing accurate and specific information when you report a streetlight outage will help expedite the process.
Q. What causes streetlights to stop working?
A. The streetlight is an engineered product that requires many components to function properly. An outage may be due to a bulb that has failed or something more complicated, such as power lines that are damaged in the vicinity of the streetlight.
Q. Does Oncor own streetlights?
A. In most cities, streetlight are owned and maintained by Oncor. In some cases, cities, home owners associations, planned developments, etc. choose to install and maintain their own streetlights.
Q. How do I know if a light is actually a streetlight?
A. If the light is facing the street, it is more than likely a streetlight. If the light is located in a back yard, alleyway or parking lot, it is probably a guardlight or private lighting.
Q. Why do I have to report the outage?
A. Although Oncor routinely patrols major thoroughfares and inspects equipment for problems, your assistance aides in identifying streetlight outages of which we may not be aware.
Q. How many streetlights does Oncor maintain?
A. Oncor maintains more than 180,000 streetlights across the Dallas/Fort-Worth Metroplex and approximately 200,000 streetlights elsewhere in Texas.
Q. How do I report a streetlight outage?
A. Streetlight outages may be reported online at www.oncor.com/streetlights. We ask that you provide basic contact information about yourself in case we have additional questions. To report a streetlight outage by phone, please call 1.888.313.4747.
Q. How do I know if the streetlight is out or simply not on? Is there a certain time of day that streetlights begin to operate?
A. New streetlights are often the first facilities installed in a new development but are not always energized. For safety reasons the facilities may not become energized until a later date.
Most existing streetlights are operated by a device that senses available sunlight, called a photocell. Sensitivity among photocell devices may differ slightly, causing one light to come on before another. Shadows from structures or trees can also effect the operation of the light. If a streetlight isn’t operating after dark, when all other lights in the area are on, the streetlight may be in need of repair.
Q. Do I get charged for a streetlight that goes out in my neighborhood?
A. No.
Q. Who pays the streetlight bill - the city or the public?
A. Cities are typically billed for streetlights. Some streetlights are owned by home owners associations, businesses and cities that are not maintained by Oncor. In these cases, the specific owner is billed.