Tacoma Power area · problem guide
Sparking or hot outlet in Tacoma
A tiny blue flash when you pull a plug can be normal. Sustained sparks, a scorch mark on the cover, a buzzing sound or an outlet that is hot to touch are not.
Right now
- Do not touch the outlet or the plug in it.
- Turn off the breaker for that circuit. If you do not know which one, turn off the main.
- Smoke, flames or a smell that keeps getting stronger: get everyone out and call 911.
Common causes
A worn receptacle that no longer grips the plug, a loose wire on a terminal screw, or a plug or cord that is damaged. Any of those can arc. Which one it is takes an electrician with the cover off.
Leave the circuit off until
A licensed electrician has replaced the device and checked the box and wire behind it. Ask whether they found heat damage further down the circuit. Look up the license on WA L&I Verify first.
Listed shops by city
Public phones from each business’s Google profile or website. We have not checked their work. Ask about after-hours service when you call.
Tacoma
- Dependable Electric LLC — (253) 222-0696 · Listing
- LightningX Electrical — (253) 666-3066 · Listing
- Light Work Electrical Inc — (253) 326-7063 · Listing
Lakewood
- Breaker Brothers Electric LLC — (253) 576-6340 · Listing
- Greenlife Electric LLC — (253) 370-8883 · Listing
- Skipper & Son's Electric LLC — (253) 317-5865 · Listing
Puyallup
- Evergreen State Electric, Inc. — (253) 770-0656 · Listing
- Champ's Electric — (253) 693-2827 · Listing
- Nexen Electrical Contractors — (253) 386-8736 · Listing
University Place
Federal Way
Other problems
Tacoma Power customers: what to do in order
- 1. Check whether it is the grid: Look at Tacoma Power’s outage map or call 253-502-8602. Lines get busy in storms, so call once. (Tacoma Public Utilities — Outages & Safety)
- 2. Tell them what they need: Your name, the affected address, a callback number, when it started, and anything you can see: a tree in a line, a wire down, a loud pop, a broken pole.
Checked against the official pages linked above on 2026-10-08. Numbers change, so confirm on the utility’s site.