Help Center
Outage
General Outage FAQs
First, check your circuit breakers or fuses to see if they have tripped. If you don’t find any problems, report the outage via the SmartHub mobile app or by calling 1-800-987-2362
Our Control Center is staffed 24/7, but sometimes call volume makes it impossible to speak with everyone. CEMC uses an automated system to process more calls and get power restored quicker. When you call 1-800-987-2362, you will need to enter your CEMC account number, meter number or the phone number associated with your account for the system to recognize your location. CEMC’s outage management system will then notify crews and we will work to restore the power as quickly as possible.
It starts with the outage being reported. Once reported, a crew is dispatched immediately. The crew then must travel to the area and assess the damage. This involves riding out many miles of power lines to determine what has caused the outage. Once the cause of the outage is found, the crew will work to restore power as quickly as possible, keeping the safety of themselves and the public a top priority. During extensive outages, restoration efforts may be slowed. View a short video that explains how CEMC restores power.
Unfortunately, CEMC cannot guarantee power 24/7. However, if you have a medical necessity that requires electricity 24/7 we’d like to know so we can flag your account. Call us at 800-987-2362 or use the Live Chat below (7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) to discuss your account. Remember, if your life depends on electricity, be sure to have an emergency back-up plan in place in case of an outage.
Outages can be caused by a variety of things. Weather-related causes are the most common, such as high winds, tornadoes, lightning, heavy rain, flooding and ice and snow. However, even when the weather is nice power interruptions can occur. Falling trees, vehicle accidents and animals coming in contact with electric equipment frequently cause power outages.
CEMC is alerted when a main transmission line, substation or circuit has been damaged. However, if it’s an isolated incident, you may need to report it. Always play it safe and report your outage via the SmartHub® mobile app or by calling 1-800-987-2362.
If the service line to your home has been damaged, report the outage via the SmartHub® mobile app or by calling 1-800-987-2362.
No. CEMC crews prioritize work in order to restore power to the greatest number of members as quickly as possible. During times of scattered or multiple outages, it may be necessary for CEMC to prioritize hospitals, healthcare facilities, and emergency type services that assist in disaster recovery. In every circumstance, crews will continue to work until all power has been restored.
Always treat downed lines as if they are energized. Do not go near the downed line and immediately call 1-800-987-2362 to report it. If there is an emergency, call 911.
Whenever an outage occurs, CEMC crews must assess the damage to identify the cause and plan for repairs. Sometimes this involves riding out many miles of power lines. Once the cause of the outage is found, the crew will work to restore power as quickly as possible keeping the safety of themselves and the public a top priority.
The power grid is a complex system. Sometimes homes or businesses that are near each other are fed from different distribution sources. If your power is out but those around you have power, check your circuit breakers or fuses to see if they have tripped. If you don’t find any problems, report the outage via the SmartHub® mobile app or by calling 1-800-987-2362.
According to the USDA, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door remains closed). Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible during power outages. Click here for more information.
Yes. Generators should only be operated outdoors with proper ventilation. Any generator or Distributed Energy Resource (DER – i.e. wind, solar, battery storage, etc.) should be installed by a licensed electrician. If connected improperly power can back feed on the utility lines creating a safety hazard for restoration workers and the general public. If you have questions about a DER source or generator safety, give us a call at 1-800-987-2362.
Please report streetlight or security light outages by calling 1-800-987-2362 or through the SmartHub mobile app (under Report Outage/Issue).
Anytime something comes in contact with the power lines (such as tree limbs, animals, lightning, etc.) it can cause the lights to blink. To prevent a sustained outage, CEMC equipment will try to clear the line by momentarily shutting off and on power. When this happens, you experience “blinking lights.” If the line is not cleared the power will go out. Please report outages via the SmartHub® mobile app or by calling 1-800-987-2362.
Text Alert FAQs
The mobile phone we have on file will automatically be enrolled in our text
service. You can then text us (using the command OUT) when there is a power outage affecting you. And, if we discover an outage before you do, we will inform you via text (from 800-987-2362).
If you wish to no longer receive outage text alerts, you can unsubscribe at any time by texting the command QUIT.
Get the outage information you need by texting the following commands to 800-987-CEMC (2362).
| OUT | Report an outage |
| QUIT | Unsubscribe from text alerts. You will be prompted to choose one of these areas (QUIT electric, QUIT fiber, QUIT general or QUIT ALL). |
| HELP | Help with our text alert system. You will be prompted to choose one of three areas (HELP electric, HELP fiber and HELP general). |
The mobile phone we have on file will automatically be enrolled in our text
service. As long as you text from the same phone, your service address is automatically detected by our system. If you attempt to text CEMC from a
phone not associated with your account, your response will not be recognized. YOU MUST UPDATE YOUR PHONE NUMBER WITH CEMC BEFORE USING THE TEXTING SERVICE.
Again, you will only receive text alerts to the phone number we have on file for your account. To add or change the mobile phone we have for you, call us at 800-987-2362 or through your SmartHub® app.
CEMC is alerted when a main transmission line, substation or circuit has been damaged. However, if it’s an isolated incident, you may need to report it. If you do not receive an outage alert text, play it safe and text the command OUT to 800-987-2362 to report it.
CEMC will occasionally text you information regarding important co-op events or changes as well as any CCfiber information from Cumberland Connect that affects your area. Text communication will come from one of these three areas.
| electric | Electric outage communication |
| fiber | CCfiber information from Cumberland Connect |
| general | General communication from CEMC |
If you receive communication from us and wish to no longer receive these alerts, you can unsubscribe at any time by texting the command QUIT.
If you previously received text alerts and would like to re-subscribe using the phone number associated with your account. You can text one of the following keywords to 800-987-2362.
| electric | Electric outage communication |
| fiber | CCfiber information from Cumberland Connect |
| general | General communication from CEMC |