Tri-County Electric Cooperative

New Bill Format - Rates Remain the Same

When the cooperative recently 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.




				New Bill Format - Rates Remain the Same When the cooperative recently 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.