Did you know that Orange County REMC has not increased rates since 2011? For eight years, the co-op has been able to absorb all cost increases we’ve encountered. In fact, Hoosier Energy just implemented a rate increase on wholesale power cost, and we also plan to absorb that without passing it onto the membership. Our rates will remain the same, including the facility charge. And, in case you’re unsure what the facility charge is, let’s take a look at what it does and does not cover.

Facility Charge 

The facility charge is set to cover the cost to maintain and operate our electric system infrastructure. This includes, but is not limited to, poles, lines, transformers, trucks, plant, etc. If your power goes out due to a storm, automobile accident, or a tree limb falling through the line, we’ll come out repair the problem and restore power at no additional cost to you. I feel it noteworthy to add that Orange County REMC has the lowest facility charge in the Hoosier Energy system at $26/month. 

What is not covered

Not covered are outages that are not part of our distribution system, like a tripped breaker or blown fuse inside the home’s electric panel. That cost is beyond the scope of our system and the responsibility falls on the homeowner to check these things before he or she calls to report an outage. The average cost for our linemen to go out after hours and weekends is between $300 and $500 per call. So, if we were to raise the facility charge to cover those instances,  that would place an unnecessary burden of cost on the membership of Orange County REMC.

The Remedy

In an effort to prevent all members from incurring this unnecessary burden, Orange County REMC has a separate schedule of charges for service calls after hours when the problem is on the member’s side of the meter and not the REMC’s. In these cases, the member is charged a fee to dispatch a truck and crew to help recover a portion of the cost incurred by the REMC. The meter base is the determining point. If the problem is before the meter base, then it will be repaired at no additional charge. However, if everything is functioning properly to the meter base and the problem is on the member’s side, then the additional fee, based on the actual cost of the work, is charged to the member. 

How to properly report an outage

Remember to always check all your breakers or fuses before you call. Make sure the power is out in all rooms in your residence and outbuildings. If possible, check with your neighbors to see if they are also out of power.

Once you have confirmed that the outage is not on your side, call 855-865-2229 to report an outage. Do not use email or Facebook to report an outage. These are not monitored 24/7, and therefore we cannot guarantee that they will be received.