Contractor Inspecting Wood Utility Poles
‍‍Osmose Utilities Service Inc., a contractor working for Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, will be working to inspect, test and treat wood utility poles within the cooperative’s service area. Workers are expected to be present for the next several months. 

The purpose of the program is to inspect and treat the poles on a cyclical basis. CEMC hopes to prolong the life of existing poles by applying decay-preventing treatments and replacing those that are no longer safe enough to leave in its plant. Osmose workers can be identified by the hardhats and brightly colored safety vests they wear. They will also carry laminated ID badges and their vehicles will be marked with magnetic signs. who have concerns about the legitimacy of workers on their property are encouraged to contact CEMC at (800)987-2362 for more information.

Keep your electric bill low when the temps get high
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I’m sure you have already noticed, but summer has arrived in Tennessee. There are lots of things to enjoy about this time of year. Hammocks,fresh fruits and vegetables, the beach and backyard cookouts are all things that are best enjoyed in the longer days of summer.
Unfortunately, the long summer days also bring with them sweltering heat and humidity that can make life uncomfortable both indoors and out. Heat and humidity can also have a significant impact on your monthly energy bill.

Electric co-ops like Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation are unique — few other businesses provide their members with advice on how to use less of the products they sell. Because we are a member-owned utility, we frequently share tips to help our members make wise choices when it comes to energy. Our mission is not to sell more energy but to serve our communities. Nothing has a greater impact on energy use than the weather.In fact, the two largest uses of residential energy in Tennessee are cooling followed closely by heating.Even when you don’t adjust your thermostat, you will still see increases in energy consumption when the temperature goes up. Why is that?

Let’s say you keep your thermostat on 75 degrees in the summer. If the outside temperature is 78 degrees, your air conditioner only has to cool the inside of your home by 3 degrees. However, if the outside temperature is 95 degrees, your air conditioner has to cool the inside of your home by 20 degrees. It will have to run longer and use more energy to cool the space.

Even though most homeowners see their electric bills rise in the summer, there are some smart and easy things you can do to save money.Check out page 23 of The Tennessee Magazine for our list of seven smart ways to save energy this summer. Need even more help? CEMC provides energy-efficiency programs such as the eScore Residential Energy-Efficiency Program and the EnergyRight New Homes Program to help homeowners make smarter energy decisions.Information about these programs can be found on our website or by calling 1-800-987-2362.

Preparing your home for summer can make your living area more comfortable and save you energy and money. 

Beware of third-party payment processors

Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation cautions its members when using third-party payment processors like Doxo.com. Such companies, which allow consumers to pay a variety of bills online—including CEMC bills—often charge a fee for their service. While third-party bill payment processors are legal, they can be misleading. Doxo.com and similar services may appear to be affiliated with CEMC; however, they are not. Nor are they official payment sites for CEMC. 

If using Doxo.com, be aware that member payments may arrive late, resulting inl ate fees or even disconnection due to nonpayment. 

The quickest, most economical way for CEMC members to make a payment is by using one of the convenient payment options offered by CEMC—none of which charge a fee. 

Bank Draft Payment: Payments are automatically drafted from your checking/savings account each month on your due date. 

Auto Pay: Payments are automatically drafted from credit or debit card each month on your due date. 

Credit/Debit Card by Phone: Pay your bill by phone using your credit card or debit card. 

Mail: Mail your payment in the return envelope included with your monthly statement. (To avoid late fees, please mail payments several days prior to the due date.)

SmartHub: Pay your bill through the app or online with a credit/debit card. 

District offices: You can make payments at our district offices.Our district offices are open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For your convenience, each district office is equipped with a payment kiosk station that is available 24/7. Kiosks accept cash and credit/debit cards.

Why does CEMC plan outages

Have you ever received a notification from Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation informing you of a “planned outage?”You may have wondered, “What is a planned outage?” and, “Why does my electric utility need to perform one?” Occasionally, the equipment we use to bring power to your home needs to be replaced, repaired or updated. When this happens, we plan an interruption to electric service as a way to keep our crews and our members safe. 

We do our best to plan these outages during times when you will be least inconvenienced, so we often perform planned outages during school and business hours. We also try to avoid planning these outages during winter or summer months. We understand these are peak times of the year when you depend on running your heating and cooling units the most.

While they may sound slightly inconvenient, planned outages are actually beneficial. Regular system upgrades are necessary for optimal performance, and they increase reliability. Repairing and upgrading our equipment are also critical to maintaining public safety. If older lines need to be replaced, we plan for the project and then repair or replace the line; that keeps everyone safe.

Planned outages also allow us to keep you informed of when and how long you will be without power. We will notify you at least two days prior to a planned outage so you can be prepared. We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep you safe and to keep our system running smoothly. So, the next time you hear about a planned outage, know that it is one of the best ways we can provide you with quality electric service

‍‍‍CEMC member falls victim to scam
‍CEMC has been made aware that there is a phone scam in our service area, whereby a request is made for immediate payment by credit card in order to avoid being disconnected. CEMC does not call members demanding payment over the phone. Members who have doubts about the legitimacy of a call should contact CEMC directly at 1-800-987-2362, even if the number displayed on their phone is CEMC’s phone number.

‍‍‍Please make room for roadside crews
‍When the power goes out, so do Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation’s line crews. Lineworkers are the first to respond after an outage occurs, and they work tirelessly, often in dangerous conditions, to restore power to the communities we serve. If you are traveling and see one of our crews on the side of the road, we kindly ask that you move over if possible and give them a little extra space to work. We care deeply about the safety of all, and this extra precaution ensures just that.

If you approach a crew while traveling on a two-lane road, moving over to the next lane might not be an option. In this case, we simply ask that you slow down when approaching roadside crews. If you approach a crew while traveling on a four-lane road, and safety and traffic conditions allow, we ask that you move over into the far lane.

In 2011, following efforts by Tennessee’s electric cooperatives and municipal utilities, the state’s Move Over law was revised to include utility workers as well as the already covered police, firefighters and other first responders. The requirements of the Move Over law are simple. On a four-lane road, if safety and traffic conditions allow, a driver approaching a utility vehicle with flashing lights must move into the far lane. On a two-lane road or when changing lanes is not possible, a driver must reduce speed.

Utility crews are not the only ones who could use the extra space. Emergency responders, such as police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians, often find themselves responding to emergency situations near busy roadways. We ask that you follow the same procedures mentioned above to help keep these crews safe.
There is plenty of room for all. Let us work together to keep everyone safe on our local roadways.