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Billing
Bill Payment Options
To make paying electrical bills more convenient for customers Cuming County Public Power District has several bill paying options. In addition to the options listed below customers can drop off or mail payments to the office or put them in the District’s drop box.
Automatic Bill Payment
Save time and money, and never worry about late-payment charges by signing up for Automatic Bill Payment.
What is Automatic Bill Payment (ABP)? – ABP is a convenient payment option that allows you to make automatic deductions from your bank account to pay the amount due on your monthly energy bill. All accounts with a good pay history may qualify for ABP.
Why should I enroll in ABP? – ABP saves you time and money. It eliminates the need – and the expense – of writing monthly checks and paying postage. Plus, you never have to worry about a missed or late payment. There are no sign-up fees and no transaction charges. Now that most all single-phase residential meters are read by CCPPD, enrolling means you have one less thing to do each month.
How does ABP work? – When you enroll in ABP, you'll receive your bill in the mail as now, but with a message reminding you “DO NOT PAY - BANK DRAFT ON (date) FOR $(amount).” The amount will be withdrawn from your account on the tenth of each month or the first working day after the tenth in case of a bank holiday or weekend.
What if I have a question about my bill? – You have at least ten days after the billing date before payment is automatically deducted from your bank account. That gives you time to review your statement. Should you have questions or concerns about your bill, call us immediately and we'll work with you to resolve them promptly.
How do I sign up for ABP? – Pick up or have an Automatic Bank Payment form sent to you. Fill out the form, mail or drop it off at the office along with an attached deposit slip and/or blank voided check.
If you have any other question about Automatic Bill Payment call the office at 402-372-2463 or 877-572-2463 for assistance.
Budget Billing
What is Budget Billing? – Budget billing is a convenient way to plan for your household expenses. Budget billing lets you make even payments throughout the year, sparing you from unpredictable bills that result from seasonal usage variations. The actual cost of your electricity bills for one year is divided into equal monthly payments. Only general rate services apply for budget billing. The District will determine individual eligibility.How does budget billing work? – Based on previous 12-month usage history, plus anticipated energy costs and other factors, your energy usage is estimated for the year ahead. This total is divided by 12 to arrive at your monthly Budget Billing payment amount. Accounts are adjusted periodically based on actual electricity use. A payment adjustment is designed to help you avoid a large over- or underpayment at the end of your Budget Billing year. At the end of the budget year your account is settled up and readjusted for the next year.
What happens to the monthly amount if there is a rate change? – If there is a change in rate schedules, your monthly amount will change accordingly.
How do I enroll in budget billing? – You may enroll in budget billing by stopping at the office or calling the office at 402-372-2463 or 877-572-2463.
Credit Cards
One more way to make bill paying easier is payment by credit card. The District accepts MasterCard and Visa.
How can I pay by credit card? – Customers have the option of completing their billing stub each month with their credit card information and sending in their payment as usual. Or, for more convenience customers can provide the District with their credit card information and it will be used monthly until further notice is received from the customer.
How do I sign up to pay by credit card monthly? – Customers can stop in the office or call 402-372-2463 or 877-572-2463.
TWACS-Automated Meter Reading
Rural residents in CCPPD territory have been reading their meters since the lines were first powered up in 1938. With the installation of automated meter reading rural single-phase residents will no longer need to read their meters. Response to the AMR meters has been very positive.
As three phase AMR meters become available they will also be installed
across the service territory.
Why TWACS?
In early 2005, the CCPPD Board voted to purchase an AMR system. The District
decided to go with the TWACS system, which stands for Two-Way Automated Communication
System. TWACS allows the District to utilize its power infrastructure to
transfer data from customer meters.
TWACS is owned by Distribution Control Systems, Inc. (DCSI) and is a leader in the AMR industry. It communicates over electric power lines, which provides a low-cost, highly reliable, two-way communication link between the utility and its consumers.
Though the intentions for the AMR system are predominantly to provide readings from rural residential customers, the TWACS system will provide much more. The customers and the District will both benefit from the system, as it is fully deployed.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Q: | How does TWACS work? |
| A: | The TWACS system communicates from the office through a wireless network to the substation sites. From the substation, information is transferred to and from the meter through the power lines then back to the office. |
| Q: | Why do I need a new meter? |
| A: | The TWACS system requires meters with special AMR modules. It is not feasible to retrofit the old electromechanical meters with the modules. |
| Q: | Will my power be shut off? |
| A: | Yes, in order to replace the meter your power will be shut off for about 10 minutes. Once the meter is replaced a door hanger will be hung on your front door stating the date, time and old meter reading. |
| Q: | When can I stop reading my meter? |
| A: | Customers will need to continue reading their meters until their statement says “CCPPD Reads”. |
| Q: | Will TWACS affect any appliances or technology in my home? |
| A: | This system will not interfere with the operation of any home electrical appliances or devices. |
Customer benefits
- Eliminates the need for rural customers to read their own meter.
- Allows instant readings to be obtained for moves.
- Eliminates physical re-reads.
- Eliminates estimated bills and meter readings.
- Allows more uniform bills.
- Provides detailed information on electric consumption.
- Quickens outage response time by pinpointing trouble areas.
- Aids in reliability monitoring by showing blink counts and verifying voltage.
If you have any questions about the TWACS automated meter reading system contact the office at 402-372-2463 or 877-572-2463.
