http://www.SWEPCO.com/coronavirus
UPDATES:
Essential services – Consistent with orders from the Governors in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) has received approval in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas for essential employees and contractors to be able to continue to perform critical job functions to keep the lights on. We have also worked to make sure that equipment suppliers and support industries essential to our business can continue to provide necessary equipment and services.
Business Assistance – National and local resources are available to help businesses navigate the coronavirus pandemic. The federal resources focus on small businesses. In addition, the Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas state economic development agencies have posted information and links to resources available for businesses and employees. See Business Assistance at SWEPCO.com/coronavirus.
Emergency Funds Assistance – The American Electric Power Foundation donated $168,000 in emergency funds to support basic human needs and help address the hardships faced by customers and communities across SWEPCO’s service area. Eleven individual grants have been made to regional nonprofits impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Scams – SWEPCO customers need to be prepared for the uptick in scam attempts with the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a particularly vulnerable time for many people including senior citizens, low-income residents and understaffed small businesses.
SWEPCO will never demand immediate payment for a customer to avoid disconnection, and we will never ask customers to use pre-paid debit cards for payment.
Here is how customers can keep their personal information safe during these uncertain times:
- Check your account status online, through the SWEPCO mobile app or by phone at 1-888-216-3523 if you’re contacted about a late payment.
- Make payments only through SWEPCO.com, the SWEPCO mobile app or with an authorized SWEPCO agent.
- Watch for callers posing as a SWEPCO representative. If customers are ever in doubt, they should hang up the phone and call SWEPCO at 1-888-216-3523 immediately. A SWEPCO employee can let them know if we’ve contacted them about their bill.
- Connect with us on social media. We monitor the latest threats and alert customers through our Facebook (Facebook.com/SWEPCO) and Twitter (@SWEPCONews) accounts.
For more information, visit SWEPCO.com/StopScams.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Suspension of Service Disconnections:
- Because we know that many of our customers are facing unusual financial hardships, SWEPCO has temporarily suspended all service disconnections for non-payment. We know our customers are concerned about their families, and ensuring they have reliable electric service allows them to focus on staying healthy and well.
- We urge customers to make every effort to keep their accounts current during the period when disconnections are suspended. If customers anticipate problems paying their electric bill, they should contact us by phone at 1-888-216-3523 or through Facebook or Twitter to discuss payment options.
SWEPCO understands the critical nature of the services we provide and is committed to the health and safety of our customers, communities and employees. We are closely monitoring the situation and do not anticipate COVID-19 will disrupt our ability to provide electric service to our customers.
We have taken significant steps to ensure we can still serve our customers while keeping our employees healthy, including:
- Instructing our line crews and other employees critical to maintaining service on how to perform their work while working in smaller teams, adjusting work schedules, practicing physical distancing, monitoring themselves for any symptoms and taking other prevention measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All employees who can are working from home to help prevent the spread of the virus.
- Working with our suppliers and contractors to maintain access to needed equipment and materials.
- We have restricted outside visitors to all of our facilities (with the exception of delivery trucks), restricted all business travel that is not business critical and restricted participation in face-to-face meetings – both internally and hosted by outside groups.
- We are monitoring any coronavirus tests, diagnoses and exposures of our employees and their household members, as well as personal international travel and international visitors staying in their homes. Some team members will be asked to self-monitor or self-quarantine depending upon their exposure.
- This is a rapidly evolving situation. We are following recommendations from the CDC and continually reviewing our responses and the guidance we are providing to our employees.