OWEN ELECTRIC OPERATIONS AND CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
Monday, March 16: As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread across the state, we wanted to share with our membership the steps that Owen Electric is taking to help protect the health and safety of our members and employees.
We will continue to monitor local and national reports on the evolving impact of COVID-19. We will base our safety precautions on factual information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization and local public health agencies.
We feel it is important to be proactive and not reactive regarding this disease. With that being said, Owen Electric has developed a response plan that will help ensure our employees remain healthy, so we can continue to provide reliable electric service to our members.
Below is a listing of four (4) response levels and how these levels will impact our members. OWEN ELECTRIC IS CURRENTLY OPERATING AT A LEVEL 3 STATUS. Additional steps will also be taken internally that are not referenced in this action plan:
Level 1 - Normal Business Operations
Level 2 - Increased sanitation of our offices. Disinfectant wipes/hand sanitizers for use in the offices. Asking members to limit office visits voluntarily, especially if you are sick. We offer a variety of ways to pay your bills: mail, website, OEC Mobile App, phone, drive-thru, or night deposit box. In addition, you can request connects, reconnects or disconnections of service via our website. Outages can be handled as normal by reporting by phone or on the OEC Mobile app. Visit the Owen Electric website for more information on these services. If you have any questions regarding these options, please call our business office.
Level 3 - Visitors will be asked to reschedule and not allowed in buildings unless it is an emergency. All payments must be handled by the options listed in the Level 2 Status and lobbies will be closed. Drive-thru windows remain open.
Level 4 - Business offices and service department will remain open but closed to the general public and all business with members will be conducted electronically.
A notification to the membership will be sent if/when a status level is changed. Although we feel it's highly unlikely we will reach a Level 4, we will make every possible accommodation to minimize the impact to our members. We ask that you share this plan with your family and friends who are served by Owen Electric.
As a result, Owen Electric is temporarily suspending service disconnections for non-payment. We understand the importance of electrical service, particularly during this pandemic, and we continue to look for ways to support member needs during this time. Your electric cooperative will continue, as it always has, to work with members experiencing hardships.
We appreciate your understanding and patience regarding the precautions being taken to protect both our employees and members. The electric service we provide is not a luxury-- it's a necessity-- and is critical to the well being of our members.
