PLEASE BE AWARE AND SHARE IMMEDIATELY: A CEC member notified us this morning that she received a call from someone claiming to be with the co-op and he stated that her electric account was pending disconnection for failure to pay $900. The man would not provide his name, only that he was with Covington Electric. The caller ID showed Covington Electric, but the fake number was 407-550-2189. Unfortunately, this member gave the scammer her bank account number believing she owed this amount and was about to have her power cutoff. She called CEC after the fact, and our MSR advised her to call her bank asap to stop payment and/or dispute the charge, and to explain this was a scam activity. If any CEC member gets a call like this, hang up and call our office at 800-239-4121 to report it. CEC will never call a member demanding immediate payment over the phone or threaten to cut power if said payment is not made immediately. Scammers can easily manipulate fake phone numbers, alter Caller ID, and use other hacks to appear authentic, but don't be fooled by these criminals. ALWAYS hang up and call CEC directly. NEVER give anyone sensitive personal information or banking information over the phone, by email or text, or if someone randomly knocks on your door claiming to be with a certain company. Please helps us spread the word about this criminal activity so we can stop these predators. Thank you.
Electrical Emergencies
In an Emergency, Call 911; Don’t Email
CEC welcomes your comments, but our dispatch crew is not able to respond to emergencies via email. For your safety, please notify the proper authority by phone if you have an electrical emergency.
Electrical Fire
If you have an electrical fire, make sure everyone leaves the building. Call 911 right away if you don’t think you can extinguish the fire. Then, if the fire is still small (for example, confined to an appliance), unplug the appliance or turn off the electricity, but don’t touch the appliance. Never put water on an electrical fire. Use a fire extinguisher recommended for electrical (class C) fires. If the fire has affected your service entrance wiring or your meter, call CEC as soon as possible at 334-222-4121 or 1-800-239-4121 or 1-800-239-1193 after hours.
Electrical Shock
When a victim is in contact with live, indoor electricity, you should NEVER TOUCH THE VICTIM or the appliance, wire, etc., causing the shock. Shut off the power, if possible, by turning off the circuit breaker or unplugging the fuse. If it isn’t possible, call CEC. When the victim is in contact with a live outdoor wire, call CEC and let us turn off the power. In all cases of electrical shock, get medical help immediately. Call 911.
Downed Line
Never touch or approach a downed power line. Always assume a downed power line is live and dangerous! Call CEC immediately at 334-222-4121 or 1-800-239-4121 or 1-800-239-1193 after hours. Then call 911 and report the line to them.