Manager's Message

Summer is in full swing. School’s out, vacations are planned, and many families are enjoying a much-deserved break. While this season brings plenty of sunshine and outdoor fun, it also ushers in the possibility of strong summer storms—and with that, the occasional power outage.

At your cooperative, we prepare all year long to handle whatever the weather may bring. One of the leading causes of outages is fallen trees or limbs damaging power lines. That’s why our right-of-way maintenance program is a top priority year-round. By keeping trees and vegetation away from lines, we reduce the risk of weather-related outages.

Still, even with careful preparation, severe storms can damage our transmission system, substations, or distribution lines. When outages occur, our crews are ready to respond quickly and safely to restore service as efficiently as possible.

Our restoration process is designed to get the most members back online in the shortest amount of time. We begin by assessing the extent of the outage and mobilizing our crews. The largest outages—often caused by damage to transmission lines or substations—are addressed first. Once that critical infrastructure is restored, we move to the lines that serve neighborhoods and individual streets.

Sometimes, even after your neighbors’ power has returned, you might still be without electricity. That’s often due to damage on a smaller line or service tap specific to your home or business. Our team works methodically to locate and repair those issues, and we appreciate your patience as we move through each stage of restoration.

Our advanced metering infrastructure helps us detect outages automatically, but your reports are still important. They help confirm the scope of the problem and ensure we haven’t missed any isolated issues. You can report an outage by calling our 24-hour line at 877-766-6769 or by texting “OUT” to 919-774-4900.

We also encourage you to visit the “Outage Center” at CEMCPower.com, where you’ll find outage maps and helpful safety information. Staying informed during an outage can bring a little peace of mind—and we’re committed to keeping you in the loop every step of the way.

No one likes to be without power, especially during the hottest months of the year. But when storms hit, you can trust that your cooperative is prepared to respond. Our dedicated crews stand ready, and our focus is always on restoring your power safely and as quickly as possible.

I hope you and your family enjoy a safe and fun summer! 

Until next time,