How to Report an Outage

If your power goes out, check your home’s breaker panel (and any outdoor disconnects) to make sure the outage isn’t due to a tripped breaker.

If the problem is outside your home, contact Habersham EMC. We’re available day or night, 365 days a year. We offer multiple ways to report an outage:

• SmartHub mobile app or online portal
  • Open the app (or log-in on the portal) and select “Report an Outage or Issue”.
  • Pick “Report an Outage”.
  • Confirm your preferred method of contact (email or phone).
  • Review your location, select an outage description (power out, heard loud bang, tree on line, down line) and add comments before submitting.
• By phone.
  • We can process your call quicker if you have this information ready:
    • Name on your HEMC account
    • Phone number at the location of the outage
    • Cause of power outage (if you know it)
  • If you call during a time of widespread outages, an automated system may answer your call. Listen carefully and follow the directions. This system can take many more calls than live operators could in times of heavy phone traffic.
  • It will be necessary for you to have a corded landline phone or cell phone available because a cordless phone will not work when power is off.
  • To report an outage, please call one of the following numbers:
    • Clarkesville: (706) 754-2114
    • Cleveland: (706) 865-4362
    • Toll-free: (800) 640-6812

View the Outage Map to see current outages. Learn how to prepare for future outages.

 

Stay Informed – Sign up for outage notifications

You can also stay informed during outages by enabling SmartHub to send updates through text or email. In the app, select the following:

1. Settings.
2. Manage Notifications.
3. Service category – select from these notifications. You can even choose to receive all:
   1. Planned Power Outage notification – prepares you for maintenance-related outages.
   2. Power Outage notification – lets you know one is affecting your location. Handy if you are away!
   3. Power Outage Update – tells you of any changes to the expected restoration time, etc.
   4. Power Restored – notifies you when the power has been restored.
4. Method(s) of contact for each event: text, email or both!

 

How to Help Us Restore Power Quickly

During a power outage HEMC’s goal is to restore power as safely and quickly as possible (learn more about how power is restored).

As a member there are certain steps you can take to assist us in meeting this goal.

Make Sure HEMC Has Your Current Phone Number

Having the correct phone number on file is critical during outages. As soon as a customer calls to report an outage, the outage reporting system requests the customer leave the phone number at the location of the outage.

However, many times a customer will either leave the phone number from where they are calling, such as a neighbor’s house, relative’s house, or the number from a second home. It is critical to power restoration for HEMC to have the phone number of the location that is experiencing the outage. This applies to full time and seasonal residences. Without the correct phone number power restoration is severely hampered.

A good time to check if we have your correct phone number is when you receive your monthly bill. If the phone number that appears on your bill is not the phone number of the service location, please call the Habersham EMC office to make a correction.

Have Your Account Info Ready When You Call

Please have the account number, the name as it appears on the bill, and the meter number when you call or email.

This information will greatly help HEMC with power restoration, especially if you have multiple accounts. This information will guide us directly to the outage site in the event that one location has power and another does not.