Momentary Power Outages
That blinking digital clock: a sign of a healthy electrical system

When the digital displays on your clocks, VCR, microwave and other electronic equipment are blinking, this usually means there has been a momentary power outage: a very brief electrical service interruption lasting no longer than a few seconds.

While these interruptions can be irritating, they also serve a valuable purpose; they demonstrate that the PSNH electrical system has worked properly and prevented an even longer or more serious power outage.

When a vehicle hits a utility pole (or electrical lines are damaged by heavy winds, lightning, branches, or animals) the electrical system's automatic breakers — similar to the circuit breaker in your home — interrupt power momentarily in an attempt to clear the lines and check the system. This interruption helps prevent long-term outages, but can also cause your more sensitive electronic equipment and appliances to blink.

To minimize the effects of momentary power outages, we recommend the following:

• When buying electronic equipment, look for devices with a battery backup.
• Personal computer users should periodically save information to a disk to prevent loss of data.
• Invest in an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). During a momentary power outage, the UPS will continue to provide power to your personal computer. (A UPS is not designed to operate a computer indefinitely, only long enough to allow users time to save their work and shut down properly.)