Frequently Asked Questions

TextPower is a text messaging service that provides BEUD customers with real-time information about electric outages.  This can include estimated restore time, number of customers affected, and any known cause of the outage.

No need to sign up! On April 27^th, any electric customers with a mobile phone number as the primary contact on their account will be auto-enrolled and will receive the welcome message from 1-800-286-1262.

You can verify or change the phone number on your account by visiting the online account portal. After logging in, navigate to “My Profile”, then “Update Account info”, and save changes to your phone number. You can also call 479-271-3100 option 1 to speak with a customer service representative to update your number.

You will only receive text messages when your account is affected by a power outage.

No, you will not receive messages from 1-800-286-1262 that are not related to a power outage.

No, this service is provided by the City of Bentonville, however standard data and text messaging rates from your phone carrier will apply.

Yes, the 1-800 number can be dialed to reach our automated outage entry system or a live operator.  The number can now receive text messages from customers.  Save this number in your phone contacts and you will always be ready to report an outage via whichever method you choose.

The system will ONLY recognize the following inputs:

• OUT – reports power is out at the address associated with your phone number
• STATUS – replies with known information about your address and any power outages
• HELP – Provides a list of valid inputs and description of service.

A BEUD representative can add additional phone numbers to receive text messages by contacting us at 479-271-3135 Option 2, 7:30 AM-4:00 PM, Monday-Friday.  All phones linked to the account will receive updates from the system.  Please have your 11 digit account number available when calling BEUD.

Simply reply to the welcome message with the word “QUIT”.  You will receive a confirmation message that your phone will no longer receive messages about electric outages.

The system will auto assign numbers to each address during auto-enrollment.  When you text the word "out", the system will respond that you have more than one account tied to your phone and will list all the addresses and a corresponding number.  Respond with "Out" followed by a space and the corresponding number to report an outage (Ex. "Out 2" or "Out 4").

Contact BEUD from 7:30 AM-4:00 PM, Monday-Friday at 479-271-3135 Option 2.  A representative can assist you with adding your phone number to your family members account.  Please have the 11 digit account number of your family member available when calling BEUD.

Text the keyword “COB” to 1-800-286-1262 to re-enroll.

You will need to speak to a customer service representative to cancel the outage.  call 479-271-3135 option 2 between 7:30AM - 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday.  For all other days and times, call the after-hours outage number at 1-800-286-1262.

Yes, if your account is affected by a known device outage (such as a transformer, fuse or substation outage).  If there is an outage that is only affecting your house, you must report the outage yourself in order to receive updates on the outage.

The power may be out only in your home our business, which may not actually be caused by a problem in the BEUD electric system.   You will only receive a text message about an outage you did not report if a BEUD dispatcher has verified an outage in our outage system.

No, you can only use text reporting for accounts that are associated with your mobile phone number.

First, check your breaker panel and make sure no breakers are tripped.  Also, check your main breaker.  The main breaker may be located inside the house in your breaker panel, or it may be outside by the meter.  If you have checked all the breakers and the power is still not on, reply to the restoration message with OUT, or call 1-800-286-1262 to report the outage via phone.

No, do not report this type of problem via text message.  If you see a downed power line or other potentially hazardous condition involving electrical equipment, call us at 1-800-286-1262 to speak to a live operator, or call 911.  While you wait for BEUD crews to arrive, stay away from the line and keep others away from the area as the ground or surrounding objects such as fences may become energized.

If you have reported a power outage during or after a storm, it is likely that there are multiple outage reports being entered in our system.  If you haven’t gotten an estimated restore time or cause message yet, it is because BEUD dispatchers are still working to dispatch and assess all of the outages.

Restoration times are estimates based on the information we have about the outage.  We can make good estimates on how long it typically takes to restore different types of outages based on historical data, but each outage time will vary based on individual circumstances.

No, the estimated restore times are based on historical data and feedback from the crews in the field.  This is to give our customers an idea of when their power will be restored to help you plan and await restoration.  However, the actual restoration time may be longer or shorter than the estimate.