Choptank Electric Cooperative - Member Info and Customer Choice
 
MEMBER INFORMATION & CUSTOMER CHOICE



How to Report an Outage


How to Report a Power Outage:

Follow the instructions below to report outages by telephone through Choptank's automated outage reporting system. Please do not report an outage via e-mail.

If your electricity has gone off, please check your fuses or the breaker panel in your home to determine if it is an isolated problem before notifying the cooperative.

A system control operator is on duty 24 hours a day as part of Choptank's established outage procedures.

To report an outage:
  • Call Choptank's automated outage reporting system toll free, 800-410-4790.
  • You will be greeted by an automated menu.
  • You may be asked to enter the telephone number at the location of the power outage or you may enter the account number specific to the location of the outage.
  • The IVR will call you back once the outage has been resolved to confirm that your power is back on.
  • During a widespread system outage, Choptank's incoming telephone lines may be overloaded and you may get a busy signal. Please try again.
Verify your phone number with Choptank's outage system in advance!
  • This will allow the IVR to recognize your phone number through caller ID and save you valuable time if you ever have to call to report an outage.
Every attempt will be made to restore your electricity as soon as possible after line crews are dispatched. In most instances this can be accomplished within a very reasonable time. There are times when extreme weather conditions or other problems may complicate the situation and restoration of service may take longer.

Special Needs Members:
  • Notify Choptank Electric in advance if a family member uses life support equipment. Contact our customer service center at 877-892-0001 with this information.
  • This will not place that person on a priority restoration list, however, it allows Choptank to help you make an informed decision about staying put or relocating the person, based on the estimated restoration time. It is important to understand that critical needs members should have a plan to provide for their emergency needs should an extended power outage occur. Depending on the cause of the outage, there is no guarantee that Choptank can restore power to them faster than to other members.
What to do during an extended outage:
  • Go in and out of the house as little as possible during cold weather if electricity is the only heat sources for your home.
  • Keep drapes and shades closed on the shady side of the house to keep heat in. Open shades to warm the house on the southern exposure if the sun is bright.
  • Food will remain frozen for up to two days and food will keep approximately one day in the refrigerator if the door is opened as little as possible. Every time the door is opened, the length of time food will keep is reduced. The condition and age of the refrigerator and freezer door gaskets are key in the length of time food will keep before thawing or spoiling.
  • Use a cooler to store milk, fruit and other frequently used foods to reduce the number of times the refrigerator door is opened.
  • In cold weather, the inside temperature of the house will have to fall below 32 degrees F. for freezing of water pipes to begin. It may be helpful to open faucets and let them drip until power is restored. Turning the water heater breaker off until the water system is completely full again may prevent damage to the heating element after power is restored.
  • Layered blankets or clothing will keep you warmer than one single layer. Air trapped between the layers provides insulation to help retain body heat.

[ Outage Information ]



Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc., Route 404 & Route 328, Denton, Maryland 21629 Toll Free: 877-892-0001


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