Electric Services
Applying for Service
►
New Service
In order to establish a new service
with the cooperative, an individual apply for service at the
Some of the information that will
be needed when applying for new service are:
► Changing Existing Service into Your Name
If you are moving to a location
that has an existing electric service you may apply for service at
either the Mount Vernon office (3906 West Broadway, Mount Vernon, IL or
the Salem office (1631 East Main, Salem, IL). It is helpful if you have
the following information when you come into the office
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Location for the new service (legal description)
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Mailing address for new service location
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Prospective member’s social security number
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Deposit (amount depends on credit score)
Meter Specifications
Meter specification sheets are
available for many types of services.
The following specifications are
available to print on line:
Note: other meter specification
sheets may be available. For specific needs not listed above please
contact Tri-County Electric.
Payment Options
► Online Bill Payment
Tri-County Electric offers on-line bill payment with either a credit or debit card or an electronic check. You may access the e-bill payment system through this link or from the home page of our Web site.
To begin the sign up process, click on the hot link near the bottom of the e-bill screen that says ‘Click here to sign up for online account access.’ It is very important and helpful to have your account number available while signing up. Your account number is the same as your member number on your postcard billing statement. You simply answer a few questions and create your password. Please remember that your password is case-sensitive and must be between four and ten characters. In addition, it is important to note that the last name and account number during the sign-up must match what is on your billing statement. Once you have completed the sign-up process, the next time you visit the site you will only need to input your e-mail address and password.
Pay
online easily using our e-bill consumer self serve.
Click the link
below to access your account by logging in.
►
Pay Bill
Here’s what you will be able to do on-line:
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Pay your bill with Mastercard, Visa or Discover
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Pay your bill via an e-check
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View current and past payments
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View and print current and past bills
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View and print charts about your energy usage
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Members with multiple accounts can pay them all with one transaction
Just imagine-no more checks, stamps or trips to the post office plus you’ll be able to access your secure account online 24/7. Moreover, you will get an e-mail every month when your new bill is calculated and ready to view.
► Automatic Bank Pay
Tri-County Electric realizes and understands that some members are not comfortable paying their electric bill online. As an alternative to online bill payment we offer automatic bank pay.
Once members sign up for auto bank pay, the amount due on their electric bill will be deducted automatically from their checking or savings account around the 18th of each month. Simply contact our office at 244-5151 or 1-800-244-5151 and we’ll be glad to send you the authorization forms so you can get started on the program.
There is no fee for this recurring program and you will continue to receive a billing statement each month so you know the amount to be deducted from your account. The auto bank withdrawals will continue until you ask to be removed from the program. You don’t have to worry about stamps, the post office or remembering to pay the electric bill!
► Budget Billing
For Tri-County Electric Cooperative members who have lived in their residence for one year or more, budget billing can help avoid the peak bills that come with winter heating of summer air conditioning. Here’s how budget billing works:
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The total electric usage and cost over the last twelve months is calculated.
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That amount is divided by twelve months to find the average monthly bill with a small amount added to provide cushion for weather changes.
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If a security light is at the location, the cost for the light is added.
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Each month a bill is mailed showing actual usage compared to the budget amount you pay plus your current account balance.
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Each month your account is reviewed and if the estimated budget amount appears to differ significantly, the billing department will contact you via letter providing an adjusted billing amount.
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To start the program, members must not have a previous balance owed.
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There is no catch up month in our program. Our goal is to monitor your account regularly to make sure small adjustments are made as necessary so that your running total does not accumulate too large of credit or debit balance.
To receive full benefit of participation in the Budget Billing program, monthly payments must be received by the normal due date. Failure to do so may result in removal from the program and could result in a requirement to pay any balance due in full with the next regular billing. Many members take advantage of budget billing along with automatic bank pay or online bill pay.
To sign up for budget billing call TCEC today at 244-5151 or 1-800-244-5151, or stop by our office in either Mt. Vernon or Salem.
Understanding Your Bill
When the cooperative converted to a new computer system the
decision was made to add more information on members' electric
bills. This represents no change to the electric rate, but rather is
a means to provide more detailed information on each bill.
Unfortunately this has caused some confusion for our members. The
items listed were already a part of each member's bill and reflects
no rate increase. By listing them separately, we are able to provide
more detailed information for our members.
Items that can now be detailed on bills include:
kilowatt hours used, facility charge, security light rental, pole
rental, wholesale power adjustment, and state utility tax.
- The kilowatt hours used shows
the energy consumption since the last reading (bill).
- The facility charge is a fee you
pay to have the facilities, everything there, ready and waiting for
the switch to be turned on. The facility fee was increased from
$20.50 to $21.50 in May 2007 for Rates 1 and 7 when the independent
Cost of Service study showed that locations with minimal usage were
not paying their own way.
- The security light rental is a
monthly fee for a security light that the cooperative maintains for
the member. The fee includes the kilowatt hours used by the light as
well as any maintenance that may be required such as changing the
photo electric eye or bulb.
- The pole rental is a monthly fee
when it is necessary for the cooperative to set an additional pole
for a security light.
- Currently for commercial
accounts and effective with the January 1, 2008 usage for
residential accounts, the wholesale power adjustment is a fee shown
on a member's bill based on the cooperative's wholesale power cost
from Southern Illinois Power Cooperative (SIPC). When the average
cost the cooperative pays on a per kilowatt hour basis varies from
.055 cents per kilowatt hour the increase or decrease will be shown
as a line item on members' bills.
Common Questions
► What is a kilowatt-hour?
A kilowatt-hour is equal to 1,000 watts used for one hour. Your electric energy is measured and bought in kilowatt-hours. KWH is the abbreviation often used for kilowatt-hour.
►The security light I rent from the cooperative burns all the time. Is it making my electric bill higher?
No, it isn’t. Security lights owned by the cooperative and rented monthly to our members are not wired through their electric meters.
►My security light doesn’t come on when it gets dark. You guys know when my light is not working don’t you?
No, we don’t. Malfunctioning security lights (burning constantly or not at all) should be reported immediately so that repairs can be made. Tri-County has no way to know if your security light is functioning properly or not.
►What is the “facility charge” on my bill?
The facility charge is a fee you pay to have
the facilities, everything there, ready and waiting for the switch to be
turned on. If a member does not use any kilowatt-hours during the
course of a month, they will still be charged a facility charge to cover
the cost of that service being ready for use. It is very similar to a
minimum bill for water usage or a line charge for phone service.
►Why
am I charged a “wholesale power cost adjustment” on my bill?
The WPCA is a fee appearing on member’s bills
based on the cooperative’s wholesale power cost from Southern Illinois
Power Cooperative (SIPC). When the average cost the cooperative pays on
a kilowatt hour basis varies from .055 cents per kilowatt hour the
increase or decrease will be shown as a line item on member’s bills.
Tri-County made the decision to utilize a wholesale power cost
adjustment rather than trying to guess what the correct rate change(s)
would be. It is strictly a “pass through” of any variance from the 5.5
cents per KWH that the cooperative has to pay for wholesale power.
►What
types of things impacts the Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment?
The major factor is the prices our wholesale
power provider (SIPC) has to pay for fuels such as coal, carbon and
natural gas to run the power plant. Another factor is the cost to
transport coal and carbon to the power plant. Sometimes SIPC has
to buy power from the open market when the load exceeds their capacity
to generate power or when they are unable to generate power due to
expected or unexpected reasons. Obviously, other power producers are
facing the same challenges regarding higher costs of fuels to generate
electricity thus resulting in higher prices. Weather is another
factor that impacts the WPCA. A very mild month with only a few
extreme temperature days can skew our cost per KWH. An extreme
temperature day can cause a high peak demand. Couple that with lower
than normal usage during mild days and it results in a higher cost per
KWH on the wholesale power bill.
►Can
I pay my bill over the internet?
Yes. Simply click
this link or go to the home
page of our website. Click on “pay my bill online” and follow the
instructions to register for the service.
►Do
you offer Budget Billing?
Yes. To learn more about our Budget Billing
program click on the payment options page or contact our office.
►I
own my own security light.
Will Tri-County fix it for me if it goes out?
Yes, TCEC servicemen can repair the light.
However, a nominal fee may apply to cover the cost of the trip to your
location and any parts needed for the repair.
►Will
you conduct an energy audit in my home to determine ways I might use
electricity more efficiently?
Yes. Tri-County Electric Cooperative
offers free energy audits of your home to help pinpoint areas you can
make improvements to your house to enhance your energy efficiency. We
also offer a Certified Comfort Home program to members building new
homes. Contact our Member Services Department for more details.
Low-Income Assistance
Financial assistance for low-income families to
assist with payments on electric bills is available through the
following agencies. If you need assistance, please check with those
agencies to see if you qualify.
Crosswalk - serving Jefferson County
BCMW - serving Bond, Clinton, Marion and Washington Counties
