Power outages can be caused by many things; ice accumulation weighs down power lines, tree limbs break off into the lines, an animal gets too close to a warm transformer, or maybe a car hits a utility pole. Here are some steps to take if you experience an outage:
Step 1: Make sure the outage is on our end; check your fuses and breakers and see if your neighbors have lights.
Step 2: Report your outage through SmartHub online by clicking here or by calling our automated outage reporting system at 309-662-5330, or you may report your outage by using our free SmartHub app on your mobile device.
Below are the instructions for reporting your outage through the SmartHub app.
These reporting mechanisms tie directly into our outage management system (OMS) for efficient reporting. Some members are concerned when they call in and don't speak to a live person; if the automated phone system tells you that we've recorded your outage, our dispatch center has been immediately notified through the OMS. Please do not report your outage to us via Facebook or Twitter as these outlets are not manned 24/7 and are not directly linked to our OMS.
Step 3: Be patient. As our outage management system is predicting the extent of the outage, our dispatch center assigns crews to investigate the issue and make necessary repairs. If your outage occurs after business hours, keep in mind that often times linemen need to stop what they're doing and grab necessary gear and supplies before heading out to the outage location to restore power, usually in adverse weather conditions. A little bit of patience goes a long way as our linemen work as quickly and as
safely as possible.
Step 4: Check our website, Facebook account or Twitter account for updates on major outages. We usually post status updates for larger outage events (those affecting 500 co-op members or more). View a live outage map by clicking here to check the extent of the outage. If you don't have internet access, we also post status updates on our main phone greeting at 309-662-5330 during major outages.
