COVID-19 information

Recent circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic are unlike anything most of us have ever dealt with, and as your local, trusted energy partner, we at Central Electric have been working hard to continue providing the service you expect. Supporting our members, as well as the local communities we serve, is a vital part of our mission, which is now more important than ever. Central Electric is committed to helping our members and local communities through this difficult time.

While far from normal, operations have remained ongoing to ensure a high-level of service for our members. The Central Electric office remains closed to walk-in traffic, however the drive-thru is still open at this time to assist members who may wish to make a payment to their account in person. Our employees are continuing to work hard on behalf of our members, some remotely and others on staggered shifts. Decisions on how we continue to operate will be made based on guidance of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Below you will find information on ways we are continuing to help our members and community during this time, how to remain in contact with the co-op and other important information that may be useful. We will continue to monitor information being provided by health and public officials and update the information and our policies as needed moving forward.

Help with your bill

We understand these are challenging economic times due to the possible unforeseen financial circumstances brought on by the impact of COVID-19. We care about those we serve and want to help. Here are steps we’re taking to help during this crisis:

The suspension of disconnections, penalties and fees expired on Wednesday, July 29, in adherence to Governor Cooper’s Executive Order #142.

We want you to know that we are still here for you. Here is what you need to know about the return to "normal" business:

We returned to a "normal" business schedule on Aug. 3. Any past due balances accrued beyond this date became subject to disconnection beginning Sept. 1 under the “normal” billing schedule for regular billing accounts, Aug. 6 for FlexPay accounts, but we will continue to waive late fees during the State of Emergency.
We have recommended that you continue making payments to your account as you can to avoid unmanageable future balances. However, we want you to know that we are still here for you.
- For regular monthly billing accounts, any outstanding balances accrued during the executive order period were automatically set up on a 12-month repayment plan (interest free).
- For FlexPay (prepaid metering) accounts, any outstanding balances accrued during the executive order period were automatically set up on a repayment plan where 70% of future payments will go toward your active account balance, and 30% of the payment will go toward the repayment balance (interest free). Disconnections resumed Aug. 6, for any negative balances moving forward.
- There is no need to contact the office, the balance will automatically be included with your regular monthly bill.
North Carolina recently announced the opening of the N.C. Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program. HOPE is an initiative of the NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency, a division of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. The program aims to assist eligible low- and- moderate-income renters experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 and seeks to promote housing stability during the ongoing pandemic by providing rent and utility assistance to prevent evictions and utility disconnections. [Important note: the grant program is only available for renters.] For information on eligibility, the application process or to apply for assistance, please visit https://nc211.org/hope/ or contact NC 211 by calling 2-1-1 from your phone.
Additionally other assistance is available through your local helping organizations. If you need assistance, please contact your local Department of Social Services agency, or contact NC 211, a free service available through United Way that can direct you to resources in our area.
If at any time you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at 919-774-4900 or 1-800-446-7752. We are always here to help you in any way we can.

Other ways we are here for you

We are working with local agencies and nonprofits to assist with community relief efforts, including the United Way's Community COVID-19 Response Fund. Emergency funds from the Operation Round Up Member Care Trust have been sent to the local Dept. of Social Service organizations to help members who may need assistance with their bills.
We have opened up a free WiFi hotspot at our office (128 Wilson Rd, Sanford) for anyone who has school-aged children needing access to internet for their educational materials during school closures. The network is "CEMC-Cares", no password required, and the best signal is from the parking spaces directly in front of Building 2 located next to the community solar facility. Tell your friends!