Tri-County EMC

Your Tri-County EMC bill provides an informative breakdown of the total charges for your electric service, plus comparative data and graphs showing how your current month's energy usage stacks up against past months.

Your bill lists a due date by which the current amount due must be paid to avoid a 5 percent penalty. A delinquent date is also provided. Past due accounts are subject to disconnection. Accounts disconnected for non-payment will require payment in full including applicable reconnection fees prior to the reconnection of electric service.The following are answers to common questions about your bill:

I didn't receive a bill this month. What should I do?

Your monthly bill is sent approximately thirty days apart. If you do not receive a bill, please call our customer service department. Failure to receive a bill or failure of the postal service to get your payment to us by the due date does not exempt you from either paying the bill or from late charges that may accrue. Tri-County EMC mails late notices as reminders after the due date. Past due accounts are subject to disconnection.

What is included in the "Energy and Distribution" amount on my bill?

All of the costs associated with purchasing power, delivering it to your home, and maintaining data and billing for your account are included in the "Energy and Distribution" amount.  One of the components is for monthly energy usage, charged on a per kWh basis. The remaining portion is a "minimum bill" charge, which covers reoccurring costs associated with providing electrical service, regardless of energy usage.

Is my account being billed at the correct rate? 

For residential customers, there are two categories of rates available.  The Basic Rate is available for all residential customers using fossil fuel in the home.  The Total Electric Rate is available to members utilizing electricity as the exclusive fuel for the home (external gas grills and gas fireplace starters are allowable exceptions).  Multiphase service is available to all residential accounts at an additional charge.

For commercial and industrial accounts, a General Service Rate is available as either "demand" or "non-demand".  The General Service Non-Demand rate is available for commercial or industrial accounts using less than 30 kW and 3,000 kilowatt hours per month.  The General Service Demand Rate is available for accounts exceeding 30 kW and 3,000 kilowatt-hours per month.  Multiphase service is available to all commercial and industrial customers at an additional charge. 

My bill fluctuates. How can I be certain my bill is correct?

Tri-County EMC's meters are read remotely through the powerlines. The energy usage information is then downloaded into a computer for bill processing. This system makes recording and accounting for energy usage extremely accurate. The current meter reading is provided on your bill. You can easily check this number against the actual current meter reading, which is clearly visible on the front of your meter.

While most residential electric accounts follow a typical pattern of seasonal usage, occasionally a customer will experience a higher or lower than normal bill. In the average home, over 40 percent of the energy bill goes to heating and cooling. This makes the amount of your bill very sensitive to changes in weather. Sudden fluctuations can also indicate a problem with equipment in your home. More information about energy efficiency can be found throughout this Web site and in our monthly newsletter. Additionally, our energy experts can help you answer energy efficiency questions. An onsite energy audit service, which includes a comprehensive inspection of your home, is available for free from Tri-County EMC.