Beginning Dec. 1, Wake Forest Power will be making it easier for customers to report electric outages and stay informed about power interruptions in their area through a new Outage Management System (OMS).
The highlight of the initiative will be a new automated outage reporting telephone number: 919-761-7899.
Starting in December, customers need only to call the number and follow the prompts to quickly notify Wake Forest Power that their electricity is out. As an added bonus, customers disconnected due to non-payment who call the outage reporting number will hear an automated message explaining the reason for their electric service interruption.
When a customer calls the outage reporting number, the OMS attempts to identify the telephone number from which the customer is calling and match that number to their account. As long as Wake Forest Power has the number in its system, the OMS will recognize the customer. If Wake Forest Power does not have the number, or if the number on file is wrong, information pertaining to the customer’s account will not be found.
That’s why Wake Forest Power is asking customers to make sure they have provided accurate contact information.
“Throughout November we’re asking customers to register up to two phone numbers associated with their account,” said Utilities & Public Works Director Mike Barton. “For example, they may want to consider providing their home number and a cell phone number. These telephone numbers need to be the ones they will use when they call us to report an outage.”
Wake Forest Power customers can update their outage phone numbers by calling the customer service department at 919-435-9478 during normal office hours (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Barton says having updated emergency outage phone numbers will provide on-call employees with an automatic glance at all the known information concerning a customer’s account, including name, address, account number, map number, substation, meter number and line section. When customers call to report service interruptions, this information will be provided to electric crews to ensure faster response time and enhanced troubleshooting capability.
“Once your telephone number has been tied to your account, the Outage Reporting System communicates with the Outage Management System making it possible for us to accurately pinpoint your location on our maps,” Barton explained. “This system, with the correct customer phone numbers, will result in faster response time to outages by service crews, as well as, reduce the duration of the outage time.”
For more information, contact Mike Barton at 919-435-9571 or mbarton@wakeforestnc.gov.
