my 0.02€ on this; update the website with a link to a very light page (or change the home page for the duration) that details current status (locations without that resource and latest expected restoration) and the next update time.
This “next update time” should at least initally have *big* time gaps (4-6 hours), along with the explanation that the time gap is big as everyone is busy mobilising and the situation is very fluid and they don’t want to overload it with status reports, as time passes, this time gap i would expect to naturally come down as more information is natuarally flowing.

My preference for updateing a web-page is that:
– stores/bars/cafes can, if they so desire, as a service publish this information
– media services can re-broadcast it, without putting extra load on the utility company. The reduction of “load on the utility that this provides should not be under-estimated. Also those media outlets (that are clever) can advertise the fact that they are *not* currently trying to talk to the utility company so that more effort can be put into the fix
– people can contact relatives/friends outside the problem area and ask them to check the website for them.