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Frequently Asked Questions
What area do you service with electricity?
To see a map of our electric service area, click here. You may also refer to the county website. For more questions regarding our service area, please contact us at 864-942-8100.
Where does CPW get its power?
CPW currently receives its power from Carolina Power Partners (CPP) and the Southeastern Power Administration (SEPA). CPP’s Kings Mountain Energy Center is a 475 MW high efficiency combined-cycle energy facility that started operations in 2018. As part of the U.S. Department of Energy, SEPA provides hydro-electric power generated from the U.S. Corps of Engineers water reservoirs to more than 491 preference customers. Greenwood CPW distributes power from both CPP and SEPA to all of its customers.
What should I do if the power goes out?
First, check the breakers and or fuses for your residence or facility. If none of those are tripped or blown, please call us at 864-942-8100.
Who do I call if I have a problem with downed power lines or poles, power fluctuations, or problem with my service?
Please call us at us at 864-942-8100.
What causes an outage?
Car wrecks, squirrels, high winds, limbs, winter storms, and lightning are just a few examples of things that can cause an interruption in your service. Whatever is the cause, we do our best to restore power as quickly as possible.
During an outage, why can’t a representative tell me when my power will be restored?
While we would love to be able to tell customers exactly when they can expect service to be restored, it simply is not possible. Each outage presents its own set of unique circumstances which make it difficult to predict the exact length of time needed for each repair. CPW would like all of its customers to know that we strive to minimize the length of interruption to any service.
What if my power must stay on for medical reasons?
If you or someone in your home has a serious health problem that requires continuous electric or gas service, please contact customer service at 864-942-8100. They will provide you a special needs form which must be signed and sent to us by your doctor. Please note that if we have a power outage, we will make every effort to restore service to our special needs customers as quickly as possible. However, it is important that you have a backup plan in place in case of an extended outage.
After an outage, how does Greenwood CPW decide which customers to restore first?
After an outage, CPW crews work as soon as it is safe and as quickly as possible to identify damage to the system, assess hazards, and create a plan to restore service. Initial repairs may include substations, main distribution lines, or other important parts of the system that may not be visible to you. Rest assured, our crews are working to restore your services. Priority is given to circuits that affect critical facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, fire stations, police stations, water facilities, wastewater facilities, municipal facilities, schools, and private homes with people on life support. We then repair damage that will return power to the greatest number of customers in the least amount of time, followed by neighborhoods, and individual customers.
How long will food in my refrigerator and freezer last without power?
We recommend leaving the door shut and limiting the number of times you open it on both your refrigerator and freezer. According to the USDA, food will stay safe in your refrigerator for about 4 hours without power. In a half full freezer, food will stay safe for about 24 hours. We, unfortunately, are not able to reimburse customers for spoiled food.
Am I being charged for electricity during a power outage?
You are only charged for the amount of electricity you use. During the time your service was interrupted, your meter did not register electric usage and you will not be charged for consumption.
Is CPW responsible if an electrical outage causes damage to my appliances?
The customer is responsible for any damages to appliances unless the damages are caused by negligence on the part of CPW. If damage is caused by an act of nature such as lightning, wind, storms, animals, etc., Greenwood Commissioners of Public Works is not responsible. Please check with your insurance company to see if your policy covers these types of damages.
If you believe a negligent act by CPW caused damage to your property, please call us at 864-942-8100. It should be noted that submittal of a claim is not a guarantee of payment.
Does CPW trim limbs on the service lines that run from the street to the customer’s house?
No, it is the responsibility of the property owner to keep limbs trimmed away from these lines. These lines are insulated and do not require much maintenance from the CPW unless they are damaged by wildlife or a limb under substantial pressure that has rubbed the insulation off the wire.
Does CPW trim trees for rental lights?
No, this is the responsibility of the property owner.
If I need my service line temporarily disconnected to remove a tree or limb, what do I do?
Please contact us at 864-942-8100 and we will be happy to help. A 24-hour notice is required so the work can be properly scheduled during normal working hours.
If there is an issue with my electric service, who is responsible for the repair?
This is a good question and the answer depends on how the service reaches the meter.
Overhead Service – If the service line is overhead, CPW is responsible for the service line from the transformer to the customer’s weatherhead. Once the service enters the weatherhead, the property owner is responsible from that point forward. This includes the meter base but does not include the meter itself.
Residential Underground Service – If your service is fed underground to the meter base, CPW is responsible for the service line to the meter base. The customer is responsible for the meter base (excluding the meter) and the exposed conduit to get the service to the proper underground depth.
Commercial Underground Service – If the transformers are pad mounted, Greenwood CPW is responsible for the transformer only. The customer is responsible for the secondary service line. If the transformers are pole mounted, CPW is responsible for the service line to the meter base. The customer is responsible for the meter base (excluding the meter) and the exposed conduit to get the service to the proper underground depth.
What procedures do I need to follow before I do any underground digging?
Call 811 before you start any digging project. The call and the service are free. State law requires you to allow 3 business days (excluding weekends and holidays), not including the day you make the request, before digging.
What are all the different color paint marks in my yard?
When any type of proposed excavation is to occur all of the underground utilities in the excavation area must be marked. Electric lines will be marked in red, gas lines in yellow, communication and CATV in orange, water lines in blue and your sewer lines in green. Remember that a locator is not going to mark the private lines you have installed yourself. These include septic tank lines and underground electric to garages or pools.
Does Greenwood CPW allow residential solar, photovoltaic, systems on its electric system?
Absolutely. Customer Owned Renewable Generation Systems such as solar may be added and seamlessly maintain a connection to the grid. Prior to doing so, CPW requires customers to contact us and submit the necessary forms. This helps ensure your safety, the safety of our crews, and our equipment. Please see our section on solar for more details.
Standard Interconnection Agreement (Online)
Standard Interconnection Agreement (PDF)
Does Greenwood CPW participate in net metering?
CPW does not currently participate in net metering or compensate customers for energy generated above a customer’s load requirement.
Does my bill go up in December or January to pay for the City’s Christmas lights?
No. You are only billed for electricity that goes through your meter box to your residence or place of business. There are no costs added to the bills to pay for Christmas lights. Many people notice a change in their bills this time of year due to changes in the weather and their general usage.
How can I conserve energy to lower my utility bill?
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