What causes the dramatic swings in the cost of electric service from month to month?

Demand for electricity is extremely dependent on weather, especially for residential consumers. This is because the devices that generally use the most electricity are used for heating and/or cooling our homes. Periods of extreme cold and heat can often double or triple a residential power bill from one month to the next.

How long do I have to pay my bill before I am cut off?

Payment is due 20 days from the bill date. After 20 days, the bill is considered delinquent. If you have not paid this bill by the next time you are billed, a penalty is added and a disconnect date for 15 days later is assigned. These dates are clearly stated on your bill. After 15 days, your account is subject to disconnection for the overdue amount.

What does the fuel charge on my bill mean?

The fuel charge, or WPCA, represents a Wholesale Power cost Adjustment. Because the wholesale energy market is subject to move much more quickly than our rates can be adjusted, the WPCA was put in place to "smooth out" the month to month changes in wholesale energy costs. Without the WPCA, we would have to have rates high enough to ensure that the month-to-month changes in our wholesale costs could be covered by their bills. The WPCA allows us to adjust for these temporary spikes or declines in the market.

What choices do I have to pay my bill?

We have worked hard to provide you with a number of convenient payment options. You may pay your bill via the following methods:
Cash - accepted at our office during normal business hours.
Check - accepted at our office or by mail.
Money Order - Accepted at our office or by mail.
Credit/Debit Card - Visa/Mastercard accepted at our office, on the phone or online.

When making payments at our office during business hours, you may come inside or take advantage of our drive-through window. After hours, simply drop your payment in our night deposit box.

Can I have my meter tested?

Albemarle EMC will test the electric meter, provided the member pays a $50 meter-test fee in advance. If the meter tests faster than 2 percent, the fee is refunded and the bill is adjusted accordingly. If the meter is accurate within plus or minus 2 percent, then the fee is retained to cover the cost of testing.

Does Albemarle EMC offer budget billing?

Albemarle EMC offers levelized billing in lieu of budget billing. Levelized billing differs from budget billing in several ways. Budget billing calculates your average bill once and you pay that amount each month. This can result in a large balance to your account at the end of the year. Levelized billing recalculates the average payment each month to smooth out extreme changes in your bill. Since the average is constantly recalculated, the need to pay a balance at the end of the year is alleviated. For a levelized billing application form, click here.