Since 1939, Columbia Power and Water Systems (CPWS) has established a proud tradition of providing reliable, dependable, and affordable water and electricity to Columbia, Maury County, and the Town of Spring Hill. Sometimes, however, there are circumstances beyond our control that interrupt your electric supply. For example, natural disasters such as tornadoes or ice storms can cause your supply of electricity to be interrupted. Most of these interruptions are of short duration. However, if you have electrical equipment in your home you feel you cannot be without and you’re considering purchasing a generator, take a few moments to think about safety. Generator use has resulted in deaths and injuries due to unsafe installation and use.
BEFORE PURCHASING A GENERATOR
Inventory the appliances that you want the generator to power.
Determine the total wattage it will take to power these selected appliances.
Choose a generator that outputs more than your total wattage requirement.
Find a safe place outdoors to run the generator that will provide proper ventilation.
Consider how you will safely store the fuel for the generator.
Check with your homeowners insurance policy to determine adequate coverage for injury and damages.
HOW TO POWER APPLIANCES FROM A GENERATOR
Distributing electricity safely is a complicated process. Electric utilities have a detailed process for delivering electricity so it does not surge or backfeed into the system. Without proper transfer switches, equipment can be damaged and people can be injured. After purchasing a generator, you will need to determine how the electricity will be distributed to the electrical equipment in your home.
The most straight forward approach to using a generator is to plug the appliances directly into a power cord that runs to the generator outside. This method makes it easier to control overloading the generator and is the method most suggested by Columbia Power and Water Systems.
Hook the generator into the electric panel. Hooking a generator into your home’s wiring system is not a do-it-yourself project. It requires a certified electrician and a transfer switch. The electrician will need to install the manual transfer switch between the house breaker and the electric supply. This will require coordination with CPWS to get your electric service disconnected while the transfer switch is being installed.
WARNING! If you try to hook the generator into your house's wiring system without disconnecting from the utility's electric supply, there could be disastrous results. You could permanently damage your generator and the electrical appliances in your house. The generator could also backfeed electricity into the utility's system. This could mean injury or death for the utility worker repairing service on a line he didn't know was energized. You are responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the generator installation and use.
GENERATOR SAFETY TIPS
Follow all manufacturer's instructions for operating your generator safely Hooking a generator into your electric panel can be dangerous Consult a certified electrician Install a transfer switch Always disconnect from the utility’s electric supply before starting a generatorhooked into your electric panel
Check and follow all National, State, County and City fire and electric codes Do not remove any safety devices on the generator Never run a generator inside a building – beware of carbon monoxide Insure that there is proper ventilation for the generator Store fuel in approved containers and place out of the reach of children Replace any power cord that is frayed or has exposed wires Store a fire extinguisher near the generator. 
