Wasco Electric Cooperative > Current Members > Billing Policies

Billing Policies

Applicable Rate Schedules
  • The terms of this policy apply to rate schedules for residential, low use, irrigation, general service, large general service and outdoor lighting.
Billing Periods
  • All rate schedules for electric service are based on one month’s electric service.
  • One month’s service covers approximately a thirty (30) day period, not necessarily a calendar month.
  • For efficiency, the Cooperative may read meters and mail bills in multiple cycles a month. However, each cycle will generally be for a thirty (30) day period and should be generally about the same date each month.
  • If a meter has been destroyed by fire, has stopped registering, or otherwise fails to correctly register power and energy supplied to the customer, the cooperative will render a bill based on an estimate of the amount of power and energy supplied by using the best available information.
Due Date
  • All bills are due and payable at the office of the cooperative within 15 days of mailing.
Late Charge
  • If the bill for any month is not paid within 20 days from the date of mailing, an interest charge will be billed to the past due portion of the bill.  The interest charge, thereafter, will include all past charges including previous interest charges.
  • The amount of interest charge is one percent (1%) per month of the past due balance.
Past Due Notice
  • The balance of a monthly billing, if not paid, will be billed a second time with the next month’s billing.
  • The past due portion of this billing will be marked as past due and due immediately.
Final Notice
  • A final notice letter will be sent 7 days after the second billing and past due notice and will allow 7 additional days to pay the account.
  • If payment of the account is not received by the end of 7 days (or satisfactory arrangements made) the service may be disconnected without further notice.
Reconnect Charges
  • When a member is disconnected for non-payment of a bill, the payment of  account in full plus a reconnect fee of  $25.00, a collection fee, and a $150.00 deposit shall be made before the service is restored during normal working hours.
  • If the member requests reconnection outside normal working hours, requiring overtime, they shall pay a $250.00 reconnect fee. In no case will a service disconnected for non-payment be reconnected after 9:00pm.
  • Members returning to the cooperative who have a past due account that has been written off to bad debts or has been in the hands of a collections agency are subject to immediate disconnection of service or will not have service connected or reconnected until past due account is paid plus deposit, reconnect charge and membership is paid.  If arrangements to pay the account are made and a payment is not made as arranged, the service may be immediately disconnected with no further notice.
Arrangements
  • A member who has an account in arrears may contact the cooperative office and make arrangements to a maximum time limit of 90 days to have the arrears balance paid in full.
Irrigation Accounts
  • If a past due balance remains after December 31st, the service shall remain disconnected, or be disconnected, and will not be reconnected until the past due amount and the Annual Minimum, based on the horsepower of the pump, have been paid in full.
Multiple Accounts
  • If a member is or has been receiving service through more than one service and is in arrears on any account, the balance may be added to a member’s open account and must be paid for the member to continue to receive electric service.
  • If a member is receiving service with an electric service account that is in arrears, additional service to a different meter or location will not be provided, connected, or reconnected until the balance has been paid.
Appeal
  • In case of a disputed bill and after it appears that the matter cannot be resolved at the staff level, the member shall be permitted to promptly present it before the Board of Directors of the cooperative at its next regular meeting.
  • The appeal shall be in written form, signed by the person appealing, and shall contain a concise statement of the disputed matter, together with copies of any relevant exhibits.
  • The board shall consider the matter and have full discretion to resolve the dispute in a just and equitable manner.
Bad Check Fee
  • If a member’s payment is returned unpaid to the cooperative because of insufficient funds, closed account, or any other reason, the member will be charged the amount of $15.00 per returned item to cover the bank charges to the cooperative and handling of the returned item.
  • The member also may be required to pay by cash or money order.
  • If a member has 3 payments returned, they will be required to pay by cash or credit/debit card only for the following 12 months.
On Premises Collection Fees
  • When a representative of the Cooperative is dispatched to disconnect service or notify the member of the past due amount, the member shall be charged a collection fee.
  • The amount of the collection fee will be $15.00 for the first time within a twelve-month period, $30.00 for the second time within a twelve- month period, $50.00 for the third time within a twelve-month period.
  • The collection fee will remain $50.00 until the member has gone 12 months without an on premise disconnect notice.