LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power unveiled Tuesday a power outage notification system for customers.

The system will send a text message or email to DWP customers when a power outage is reported in their neighborhood. DWP will also notify residents about estimated times for repairs and service restoration, according to the utility.

Customers can sign up at ladwp.com by clicking on the Outage Alerts tab and following the prompts. Customers can choose between English and Spanish alerts, and they can enroll for notifications in as many as three neighborhoods within DWP's service area.

"Last July, Los Angeles experienced extreme heat coupled with record-breaking electricity demand that resulted in prolonged power outages, DWP General Manager David Wright said. "That experience brought home the need for a message alert system to better inform customers of the status of outages.''

Customers can report outages at the DWP's web-based outage management system at www.ladwp.com/outages, or by calling 1-800-DIAL-DWP. The most up-to-date information on power outages can be found on the DWP website or on Twitter at @LADWP.

"The DWP is one of the most reliable utilities in the United States. But sometimes the power goes out, especially during our warm summer months, and it's our job to let Angelenos know when the lights will turn back on," Mayor Eric Garcetti said.