Reading, MA — Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) invites customers to sign up to receive alerts in preparation for the upcoming rollout of its Customer Notification System (CNS). Unplanned outage alerts will be the first of multiple alert categories to be implemented. Once launched, enrolled customers will receive alerts when an unplanned power outage is detected at their property, when an estimated time of restoration is established, and when power is restored. These alerts will be sent by phone, text, and/or email depending on each customer’s preference. In most cases, alerts will be sent when a power outage is detected by RMLD’s Outage Management System (OMS) regardless of whether the outage has been reported by a customer. Unplanned outage alerts are expected to launch on July 1, 2020. To receive alerts, customers must enroll via RMLD’s Customer Notification System Portal at https://www.rmld.com/home/customer-notification-system. Once an account is created, customers will have the ability to sign up for alerts and update their preferences and contact information at any time.
To enroll, customers will need their RMLD account number, the discount amount due from their last bill, and a valid email address. The enrollment process consists of creating a username and password, selecting which notifications the customer would like to receive, and selecting their preferred communication channels (phone, text, and/or email). Contact information will also be required. The system is secure and RMLD will not share customer information.
The following additional alert types will be rolled out as a future phase of the project:
- Planned Outage Alerts, such as for system maintenance and any meter replacements, will be added to the Outage Alert category in the future. Customers who opt in to receive outage alerts now will not need to opt-in again to receive planned outage alerts in the future.
- Critical Alerts will notify those enrolled of critical situations that may impact RMLD service or require widespread action from RMLD customers. This can include pleas for conservation during times of regional capacity shortages, regional voltage reductions, and more. Critical Alerts will be rolled out at a later time, but customers may enroll to receive future notifications now.
- Shred the Peak Alerts will notify enrolled customers when peak electric use is predicted and ask that they voluntarily conserve electricity during the predicted peak window. Peak electricity is expensive, affecting power supply costs and in turn, customer bills. Collectively reducing electricity use during expensive peak times helps to control these costs and can also reduce regional carbon emissions. Shred the Peak Alerts will be rolled out at a later time, but customers may enroll to receive future notifications now. Customers who currently receive Shred the Peak Email Alerts from RMLD will continue to do so – there will be no changes at this time. To learn more about Shred the Peak, visit https://www.rmld.com/home/pages/shred-peak.
An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System, which provides a dedicated phone line to report power outages, will also launch in conjunction with the Customer Notification System. In addition, an online outage map containing real time information on power outages will be published to RMLD’s website at the time of the launch. No enrollment is required to utilize these tools.
The addition of the OMS, CNS, and IVR systems are integral to RMLD’s technology roadmap which improves customer service, operating efficiency, and system reliability. For more information and to enroll, please visit https://www.rmld.com/home/customer-notification-system.
