UO Campus Planning and Facilities Management is preparing for an upcoming utility maintenance and testing project, which will entail short, staggered power outages in most buildings on the UO campus during spring break.

The project will take place on the mornings of Monday, March 23, and Tuesday, March 24.

If you haven’t already, take an inventory of all electronic equipment. The Work Control Center advises to not make assumptions about your electronics’ backup power or “standby” capabilities, particularly for sensitive research equipment. If you need assistance preparing your equipment for the outage, Safety and Risk Services has launched this continuity survey.

No negative effects on basic office equipment should occur, but you can take steps to prepare for the scheduled outages:

• Unplug electronic equipment such as microwaves, televisions, audio/visual equipment, computers, research equipment, etc. This will help to eliminate potential damage to electronics from voltage surges when the electricity is restored.
• Wait a few minutes after power is restored before turning on equipment to prevent potential damage from momentary “surges” or “spikes” that can sometimes accompany power restoration.

To respond to other questions from students, faculty members and staff about the project, Campus Planning and Facilities Management has started a frequently asked questions webpage. It will be updated regularly, as questions come in.

This critical maintenance project calls for staggered 15-minute outages that will affect one feeder, and all the buildings it powers, at a time on the morning of Monday, March 23. On Tuesday, March 24, all power to campus will be shut off for under five minutes. Click here for a complete schedule and list of buildings affected both days.