The Illuminating Company customers may need help with a power outage, downed wire, high electric bill, payment arrangement, shutoff notice, start or stop service request, meter question, streetlight problem, electric supplier charge, scam call, or unresolved utility complaint. The Illuminating Company is a FirstEnergy electric utility serving customers in northeastern Ohio.
How to Contact The Illuminating Company Customer Service
- Customer Service: 1-800-589-3101
- Customer Service Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET
- Automated Phone System: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for many common account requests
- Power Outages: 1-888-544-4877 (1-888-LIGHTSS)
- Outage Text: Text OUT to 544487; text STAT to 544487 for an outage-status update
- Online Contact Form: FirstEnergy Contact Us
- Illuminating Company Website: The Illuminating Company
- Report an Outage: Report a Power Outage
- Billing Assistance: Illuminating Company Assistance Programs
- Start, Stop or Move Service: Manage Electric Service
- Corporate / Primary Address: The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company / FirstEnergy, 76 South Main Street, Akron, OH 44308
- Accessibility: Customers with hearing or speech impairments can use Telecommunications Relay Service at 711.
FirstEnergy states that online customer-service inquiries are generally answered within two business days. Do not use the general email/contact form to report an outage because outage reports should be submitted through the outage system, telephone line, or text service.
Best Illuminating Company Support Route by Issue
- Power outage: Call 1-888-544-4877, report the outage online, or text OUT to 544487.
- Check outage status: Sign in online, use the outage map, or text STAT to 544487 after registering for text alerts.
- Billing or account question: Call 1-800-589-3101.
- High electric bill: Review usage, meter readings, supplier charges, and billing dates before requesting a billing review.
- Payment difficulty: Contact Customer Care and review available payment plans and Ohio assistance programs.
- Shutoff notice: Contact Customer Care promptly and ask which payment or assistance options are currently available.
- Start, stop or transfer service: Use FirstEnergy’s online moving-service system.
- Streetlight problem: Use FirstEnergy’s dedicated streetlight reporting system.
- Tree near a power line: Use FirstEnergy’s tree-problem service request rather than attempting to trim near energized equipment yourself.
- Competitive electric supplier problem: Identify whether the disputed charge comes from The Illuminating Company or a separate generation supplier.
- Unresolved regulated utility complaint: Contact the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio after first giving The Illuminating Company an opportunity to resolve the problem.
How to Report an Illuminating Company Power Outage
Customers should report their own outage even if a neighbor has already contacted the utility. Individual outage reports can provide additional information that helps FirstEnergy identify affected locations.
Current outage-reporting options include:
- Telephone: 1-888-544-4877
- Text: OUT to 544487
- Register for text service: REG to 544487
- Check outage status by text: STAT to 544487
- Online: Use the official FirstEnergy outage-reporting page
When reporting an outage by telephone, have the service address and a reachable telephone number available. If known, tell the utility whether neighboring homes also appear to be without power.
Illuminating Company Outage Map and Restoration Updates
FirstEnergy provides an online outage map and account-specific outage information. During major storms, restoration estimates can change as crews inspect damage, repair transmission and distribution equipment, remove hazards, and address smaller localized outages.
A customer-service representative may be able to provide available outage information, but calling repeatedly does not normally cause one individual outage to be restored ahead of other safety and system priorities.
Customers who depend on electrically operated life-support equipment should contact FirstEnergy about its Critical Care program. FirstEnergy notes that participation does not guarantee faster restoration, so customers with medical equipment should maintain an emergency backup plan for outages.
High Illuminating Company Electric Bills
An unexpectedly high electric bill can result from several factors, including increased electricity use, extreme temperatures, a longer billing period, a corrected or estimated meter reading, electric heating or cooling, new appliances, or a change in the generation supplier or rate.
Before contacting Customer Care, compare:
- Current kilowatt-hour usage with the previous month
- Usage with the same period last year
- Number of days in the billing cycle
- Whether the meter reading was actual or estimated
- The generation or supplier rate
- Recent changes in heating, air conditioning, appliances, or household occupancy
- Recent payments and account credits
If the bill still appears incorrect, call 1-800-589-3101 and ask Customer Care to explain the disputed usage, payment, meter reading, charge, or supplier information.
Paying an Illuminating Company Bill
FirstEnergy customers can manage bills and payments through an online account. Available online account features include viewing statements, reviewing billing and payment history, checking energy usage, setting up recurring payments, receiving alerts, and reporting outages.
FirstEnergy also offers Guest Pay for customers who want to make an eligible payment without signing in. Current electronic payment options can include:
- Bank draft
- Debit card
- Credit card
- PayPal
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Venmo
Use only payment methods and websites listed by FirstEnergy. Be cautious of unsolicited callers directing you to unfamiliar payment pages.
Illuminating Company Payment Assistance
The Illuminating Company offers or participates in several programs for qualifying Ohio customers who are having difficulty paying their electric bills.
Current programs can include:
- PIPP Plus: The Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus provides qualifying households with payments based partly on household income and can include credits toward prior debt when program requirements are met.
- HEAP: The Home Energy Assistance Program can provide eligible households with help paying energy costs.
- Emergency or seasonal assistance: Additional programs may help customers facing disconnection or seasonal energy hardship.
- Community Outreach Opportunity Program (CO-OP): An emergency hardship fund for qualifying Illuminating Company residential customers.
- Payment arrangements: Account-specific installment plans or other arrangements may be available depending on the balance and account status.
Eligibility, income guidelines, funding, enrollment dates, and payment requirements can change. Customers facing shutoff should contact The Illuminating Company as early as possible rather than waiting until the scheduled disconnection date.
Start, Stop or Move Illuminating Company Service
Customers can submit requests online to start, stop, or transfer electric service. FirstEnergy states that online service requests may require at least two business days to process, so submit a move request before the date service is needed.
Have available:
- Current service address
- New service address when moving
- Requested start or stop date
- Customer identification information
- Existing account information when applicable
- Contact email and telephone number
Continue to monitor the request until FirstEnergy confirms that the requested service date can be met.
Illuminating Company Streetlight Problems
FirstEnergy maintains a separate reporting system for streetlights and outdoor area lights.
Report a Streetlight or Outdoor Area Light Problem
A streetlight normally illuminates a public street, road, or public area. An outdoor area light is generally located on private property and maintained by FirstEnergy under an arrangement with the customer.
Streetlight reports can be submitted even without a FirstEnergy electric account when sufficient location information is provided. A leased outdoor area light on private property generally needs to be reported by the responsible customer.
The Illuminating Company and Electric Suppliers
Ohio customers may have a competitive electric generation supplier in addition to The Illuminating Company. The Illuminating Company continues to provide regulated electric delivery service, maintain distribution equipment, respond to outages, and handle utility functions even when another company supplies the generation portion of the electricity.
When disputing a bill, identify whether the issue involves:
- The Illuminating Company’s delivery charges
- Electric usage or meter readings
- A competitive generation supplier’s rate
- A supplier enrollment or cancellation
- A variable or fixed generation rate
- An unauthorized supplier switch
A generation-supplier contract problem may need to be addressed with that supplier, while outage, meter, distribution, and regulated-service matters generally remain with The Illuminating Company.
Illuminating Company Scam and Fraud Warnings
Utility customers are frequent targets of impersonation scams. FirstEnergy warns customers about callers, texts, emails, and visitors who falsely claim immediate payment is required to prevent disconnection.
FirstEnergy employees carry company identification. If someone appears at your home claiming to represent the utility, ask to see identification and contact Customer Care if you are uncertain about the visit.
Who Owns The Illuminating Company?
The customer-facing Illuminating Company utility is legally The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company. It is a FirstEnergy Corp. electric utility serving northeastern Ohio.
Current FirstEnergy information states that The Illuminating Company serves more than 750,000 customers in northeastern Ohio, including customers in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Lorain counties.
Illuminating Company Corporate Address
The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company and FirstEnergy list a primary corporate address at:
76 South Main Street
Akron, OH 44308
This is a corporate address and should not be used for emergency outage reporting or unsolicited payments. Customers should use the payment or correspondence address shown on the current bill when mailing account-related items.
How to Escalate an Illuminating Company Complaint
- Call The Illuminating Company at 1-800-589-3101.
- Explain the exact bill, meter reading, payment, supplier charge, service date, shutoff notice, or other issue being disputed.
- Keep copies of bills, payment confirmations, notices, emails, screenshots, and previous correspondence.
- Record the date of each contact and any case or reference number provided.
- Ask for additional review when the first representative cannot resolve the issue.
- If the regulated utility complaint remains unresolved, contact the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio recommends giving the utility an opportunity to resolve the dispute before filing a PUCO complaint.
- PUCO Call Center: 1-800-686-7826
- PUCO Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET
- PUCO Complaint Information: Get Help With an Ohio Utility Complaint
Information submitted to the PUCO may become public information, so review the agency’s privacy guidance before including sensitive personal details.
Information to Have Before Contacting The Illuminating Company
- Account number
- Service address
- Customer name
- Telephone number and email on the account
- Current and previous electric bills
- Payment confirmations
- Meter reading or meter information when relevant
- Competitive electric supplier information when applicable
- Outage start time and location
- Shutoff, reconnection, or payment-plan notices
- Previous complaint or case numbers
- The resolution being requested
Provide full account numbers, Social Security numbers, payment details, and other sensitive information only through verified private FirstEnergy or regulatory channels.
Illuminating Company Customer Service Reviews and Complaints
CustomerServiceNumbers.com currently has no published customer reviews for The Illuminating Company. The displayed 0 out of 5 rating reflects the absence of submitted ratings and should not be interpreted as a zero-star customer judgment.
Because there are currently no published reviews on this page, there is not enough CustomerServiceNumbers.com feedback to identify reliable positive or negative patterns involving outages, restoration times, billing, payments, shutoff notices, service reliability, customer support, or complaint resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Illuminating Company customer-service phone number?
Call 1-800-589-3101 for billing, account, payment, service, and other general customer-service questions.
What are The Illuminating Company customer-service hours?
Customer Care representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. FirstEnergy’s automated telephone system is available 24/7 for many common requests.
What number do I call for an Illuminating Company outage?
Call 1-888-544-4877, also known as 1-888-LIGHTSS. Customers can also report outages online or text OUT to 544487.
What should I do about a downed power line?
Stay at least 30 feet away, keep other people and pets away, and call 911 when there is an immediate electrical hazard. Treat every downed or low-hanging line as energized.
How do I get help paying my Illuminating Company bill?
Call Customer Care and review current FirstEnergy Ohio assistance programs. Options can include PIPP Plus, HEAP, CO-OP, payment arrangements, and other qualifying programs.
Can I start or stop electric service online?
Yes. FirstEnergy provides an online system for starting, stopping, and moving service. Online requests may require at least two business days to process.
How do I report a broken streetlight?
Use FirstEnergy’s online Streetlight or Outdoor Area Light reporting tool. Provide the location and other identifying information requested.
Who owns The Illuminating Company?
The Illuminating Company is The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, a FirstEnergy Corp. utility.
Where is The Illuminating Company located?
The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company and FirstEnergy list a primary address at 76 South Main Street, Akron, Ohio 44308.
How do I file a complaint against The Illuminating Company?
Contact The Illuminating Company first and document the issue. If a regulated utility complaint remains unresolved, contact the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio at 1-800-686-7826 or use the PUCO complaint process online.
Related Electric Utility Customer Service Pages
Why Trust CustomerServiceNumbers.com?
CustomerServiceNumbers.com has helped consumers locate customer-service information and share customer-service experiences since 2004. The site is independent and is not owned or operated by The Illuminating Company, The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, FirstEnergy Corp., a competitive electric supplier, or the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
This page is intended to help Ohio electric customers identify the appropriate route for power outages, billing questions, payment assistance, shutoff concerns, service moves, streetlights, supplier issues, scams, and unresolved utility complaints.
Share Your Illuminating Company Customer Service Experience
If you contacted The Illuminating Company about an outage, high bill, payment, shutoff notice, service move, streetlight, meter, electric supplier, scam, or another customer-service issue, describe the general problem, which support route you used, the response you received, and whether the matter was resolved.
Privacy warning: Do not publish your complete utility account number, service address, Social Security number, bank information, payment-card details, account password, medical information, private telephone number, private email address, or unredacted utility bill in a public review.
Customer Service Information Disclaimer
CustomerServiceNumbers.com is an independent consumer information and review website and is not affiliated with The Illuminating Company, The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, FirstEnergy Corp., any competitive electric supplier, or the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. CustomerServiceNumbers.com cannot report outages, access utility accounts, stop disconnections, make payment arrangements, change suppliers, start or stop service, correct bills, restore electricity, or act on behalf of the utility. Utility tariffs, assistance-program requirements, payment options, rates, regulatory rules, and support methods can change. Verify account-specific information directly with The Illuminating Company or the appropriate Ohio regulator.