THE ILLUMINATING COMPANY
A FIRST ENERGY COMPANY
Login, Phone Number, Pay Bill, Customer Service, Outages, First Energy
This entire page is dedicated to The Illuminating Company and their electricity service. For easier navigation, the page is divided into four segments: payment, billing, service and contact.
The payment segment covers the supported payment methods and explains how you can settle your bills using online, phone, mail or in person payments. The billing segment opens with a sample bill and goes on to explain how you can sign up for eBills and receive bill notifications. It also contains information regarding late bill payments and meter readings.
You can move on to the service section if you’re a new resident who wants to establish a new service with The Illuminating Company or if you’re an existing customer who wants to upgrade or cancel service. This part will also explain how you should act in electrical emergencies, accidents and outages. The last segment lists out the most important contact information referring to The Illuminating Company. If you want to talk to their representatives, go here to find all of their phone numbers and addresses.
In the end, you will find a list of the most commonly asked questions that deal with The Illuminating Company and their service. Scroll down to this part if you need help with a specific problem. If you don’t find what you’re looking for move over to the contacts segment and contact The Illuminating Company, explaining your problem.
PAYMENT
Automatic Credit Card Payments
The Illuminating Company lets you pay your monthly bills automatically, using credit or debit cards. The payments are made each time a new electric bill becomes due.
You can use the following cards to make automatic payments:
- Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Diners Club
To enroll into automatic payments, you will need to register an online account with The Illuminating Company. Follow the link below for more information.
One-Time Credit Card Payments
Thanks to ePay Preferred, you can use one-time card payments to pay your electric bills online or by phone. Call 866-569-4770 to make a phone payment or visit the link below to make an online card payment. A convenience fee is applied.
You can use the following cards to make one-time payments through ePay Preferred:
- Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Discover, American Express
- ATM debit cards: Pulse, Star, NYCE
Save the confirmation number that you receive after the payment is made. You might need to use it to verify your payment. For additional help, call 800-794-1630 to speak to a representative of ePay Preferred.
One-Time Bank Draft
If you don’t have a card, you can pay your monthly bill with a one-time bank draft from your checking or savings account. To do that, you will need an online account registered on the The Illuminating Company website. Follow the link below to read more about bank drafts.
It may take a few days for your payment to be processed and your account to be charged for the bill amount.
Bank Payments
The Illuminating Company also allows its customers to sign up for checkless payments. If you enroll into this program, you will pay your monthly bills directly from your bank account. The payments can be made automatically or manually.
For manual payments, you will have to use Direct Payment Plan to settle each monthly bill. Automated payments will be processed each time a bill becomes due and you will be notified whenever you are charged.
Check out the links below or call 800-589-3101 to learn more about bank payments. The phone line is open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Person
To pay your bills in person, simply visit one of the authorized locations that accept bill payments made out to The Illuminating Company. You can find the closest authorized center by filling out the form found at the link below.
Equal Payment Plan
The Equal Payment Plan was created to help The Illuminating Company customers pay their bills more easily and budget for their expenses more efficiently. Under this plan, you will pay the same amount each month, whatever your electric usage was for the billing period.
However, your total bill amount will not be lower. It will remain the same, because The Illuminating Company will adjust your bills each summer to follow your consumption.
BILLING
Paperless Billing
The Illuminating Company allows you to opt for eBills and stop receiving paper bills in your mail. If you choose to participate in this program, you will receive your bills online and immediately be notified whenever a new bill arrives.
Sample Bill
Reading and understanding an electric bill can be hard and tiresome. With that in mind, The Illuminating Company has created a sample bill with each item clearly highlighted and explained on the link below. For additional help regarding your bill, call 800-589-3101.
Late Bill Payments
If you’re facing unexpected financial difficulties that might result in you not being to pay your bill on time, call The Illuminating Company Customer Service at 800-589-3101 immediately. This will help you keep your electricity on during your troubled time.
Meter Reading
The Illuminating Company follows a pre-defined meter reading schedule that allows you to always stay up to date on your meter readings. The precise dates may vary by a few days due to unforeseen circumstances.
Brochures
In case you want to find out more about The Illuminating Company, you can browse through their selection of online brochures to get a better view of their service. Follow the link below for their library of online brochures.
SERVICE
New Service
Are you a new resident in Ohio? Request a new service on your address as soon as possible to avoid spending days without any electricity in your home. Fill out the form below to get started.
Understand that you might have to send a security deposit to The Illuminating Company before your service is established. You can read more about their security deposit policies by following this link:
Stop Service
If you’re leaving Ohio and moving elsewhere, be sure to shut off your service to stop getting billed. Simply log in to your online customer account and fill out the form below to end your service.
Power Outage
Report or view current power outages with The Illuminating Company.
Electrical Work/Service Upgrade
If you’re not satisfied with your current service, you can always request electrical works or service upgrade at your address. Follow the link below and fill out the service upgrade form to request electrical works. Allow up to three days for the request to be processed.
Assistance Programs
To help the most vulnerable members of the society, The Illuminating Company collaborates with various charities and offers a variety of assistance programs. You will find all the programs listed below, together with their phone numbers.
- Call 800-282-0880 for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
- Call 800-282-0880 for the Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy (OPAE) Fuel Fund
- Call 419-241-3549 for the Neighbors Helping Neighbors – Toledo Salvation Army program
- Call 800-995-0095 for Military Deferred Payment Program
To learn more about each assistance program, call them by phone or visit the link below.
Lighting Problems
Residents who notice a lighting problem can report the issue and request field repairs. Fill out the next form to report a lighting problem.
Emergencies
In emergency cases, call 888-544-4877 immediately. Avoid power lines (downed or not) and always assume that they are dangerous.
Do not touch or approach damaged or downed power lines. They can hurt or even kill you in place. It’s recommended that you always stay at least 30 away from downed power lines and their poles to avoid any potential danger.
In the unlikely event that a downed power line falls on top of your car, do not leave the vehicle under any circumstances. You risk getting hurt or killed by opening your doors. Instead, call 888-544-4877 to report the emergency and wait in the car until a team of professionals arrives and solves the problem.
Accidents
If you see someone participating in an electrical accidents in or around your home, turn off the power in your house using the main circuit breaker. Then, call 911 as soon as possible.
If someone experiences an electrical accident with an outside power line, do not attempt to help the person by moving them or the damaged power line. You risk serious injury by approaching the scene. Instead, call 911 immediately.
Scams and Frauds
It’s not uncommon for criminals to attempt to scam and fraud people by impersonating official staff and employees of utilities companies. Elderly people are especially susceptible to this type of criminal activity.
If someone tries to enter your home, claiming to be an employee of The Illuminating Company, but is unable to show you a form of company ID, do not let them into your residence. All The Illuminating Company employees are obliged to wear company licensed forms of identification.
In case you receive a call from a person claiming to work for The Illuminating Company and they request an immediate payment or sensitive information, such as a bank account number, to keep your service turned on, don’t hesitate to hang up the phone. The Illuminating Company employees will never contact you in such a way.
Unless you’re sure that the email or text sender is associated with The Illuminating Company, do not open any links enclosed within the message.
If you think you’ve been a victim of a scam or a fraud, call 800-589-3101 to report the issue. You can read more about avoiding scams and frauds on the official company page linked below.
CONTACT
Customer Service: 800-589-3101, available from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Friday
Emergency or power outage: 888-544-4877 or 1-888-LIGHTSS
Address: P.O. Box 3687 Akron, Ohio 44309-3687
Hearing or speech impaired people: 711
Payments
ePay Preferred Customer Service: 800-794-1630
The Illuminating Company Customer Service: Customer Service: 800-589-3101, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Friday
Mailing address: Address: P.O. Box 3687 Akron, Ohio 44309-3687
Assistance Programs
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP): 800-282-0880
Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy (OPAE) Fuel Fund: 800-282-0880
Neighbors Helping Neighbors – Toledo Salvation Army: 419-241-3549
Military Deferred Payment Program: 800-995-0095
QUESTIONS?
A family member/friend has had an electrical accident. What should I do?
Can I still pay my bills in person?
What are the hours of operation of The Illuminating Company?
There is a power outage in my street. How can I report it?
Someone claiming to be an employee of The Illuminating Company might be trying to scam or fraud me. What should I do?
I want to receive both eBills and paper bills. Is that possible?
I’ve decided to move out of Ohio. Do I need to cancel my service with The Illuminating Company?
Why is The Illuminating Company asking for a security deposit from me?
The Illuminating Company may request that you place a security deposit before they establish your new service. Visit their website for information on their security deposit policy.
Is there a way for me to avoid seasonal highs and lows in bill amounts?
Can I pay my bills by phone?
A convenience fee will be applied to each phone payment.
