Russellville Electric Board introduces fast, free outage reporting system

A new system making it easier for customers to report and monitor electrical outages has debuted for the Russellville Electric Board.

The REB introduced Hometown Grid, an outage reporting system that includes a live outage map.

Customers can report outages by phone or text message, at 1-877-414-3850, and visit www.hometowngrid.com/reb to see an outage map updated in real time.

There is no app required nor any login required to report an outage or view the outage map.

When a customer calls 1-877-414-3850 to report an outage, the system automatically confirms the report and asks a few quick follow-up questions designed to assist REB repair crews pinpoint the issue. Reports are then immediately updated on a public outage map to provide residents and business owners clear, rapid access to where outages are taking place and when updates are posted.

“During an outage, communication is a key. This system gives customers peace of mind and helps our crews respond more efficiently,” said REB General Manager Derrick Moore.

Hometown Grid was designed for local utilities and has seen strong growth since its launch.

It’s a safeguard to make sure no report of an outage is overlooked and a way to keep customers informed during an outage.

Hometown Grid is used by more than 70 utilities in 12 states, serving more than 578,000 customers.

The Hometown Grid system includes built-in crew dispatch and notifications, as well as clear useful reports.

Customers see responses to their outages in seconds and the public outage map is available for all to access without a subscription.

Just remember 1-877-414-3850 to report outages either by phone or text.

Learn more about the Hometown Grid outage reporting system by visiting www.hometowngrid.com.