GENERAL SERVICE INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS OF FIRST ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE The following information summarizes the rights and obligations of First Electric Cooperative Corporation and its Members as set forth in the Rules and Regulations Governing Utility Service adopted by the Arkansas Public Service Commission. ELECTRIC SERVICE RATES: All rates for service are on file with the Arkansas Public Service Commission and are available to our Members on request at our business offices Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Jacksonville, Bryant, Heber Springs, Perryville and Stuttgart. The monthly residential rates as of May 1, 2024, are as follows: Peak Months Rate $28.00 plus 12.264¢ per kWh $31.00 Minimum Bill
Off-Peak Months Rate $28.00 plus 12.264¢ per kWh for the first 500 kWh, 10.764¢ per kWh for all additional kWh $31.00 Minimum Bill
Peak Months Rate will apply to kilowatt hours billed during the months of June through October. Off-Peak Months Rate will apply to kilowatt hours billed during the months of November through May. ADJUSTMENTS: Billing for electric service under basic rates is subject to the following adjustments: 1. Energy Cost Adjustment: If the cost of energy to the Cooperative changes from the base cost of 0.060979¢ per kilowatt hour sold embedded in the Cooperative’s rate, the Cooperative shall increase or decrease its rates by an amount sufficient to compensate for the change. 2. Tax Adjustment: This adjustment shall apply to any excise, license, privilege or franchise taxes which the Cooperative may hereafter have to pay, which are levied or imposed, or increased or decreased by laws or ordinances of any municipal taxing authority. Such adjustments shall be recovered only from those Members within jurisdictional boundaries of the taxing bodies and shall be shown on the face of the bill. 3. Cost of Debt Adjustment: If the total cost of debt to the Cooperative exceeds the amount embedded in the Cooperative’s base rates, then the Cooperative shall increase or decrease its retail rates by an amount sufficient to compensate for the changes. CANCELLING SERVICE: A Member who wants to cancel service must inform the utility at least 5 days before the requested disconnection date. A final bill will be processed at the next billing date. Service may be discontinued eight (8) days after the day a “shutoff” notice is mailed. Suspensions of service may be delayed when a “Serious Medical Condition” exists or when a “Delayed Payment Agreement” or “Payment Extension” has been entered into with the Cooperative. These options are available through arrangements with the Cooperative’s offices at Jacksonville, Bryant, Heber Springs, Perryville and Stuttgart. When service has been discontinued, the Cooperative will reconnect service as soon as the reason for the discontinuation of service has been resolved. If the reason for the termination of service was the unlawful or unauthorized use of the service, the Cooperative may discontinue service without notice. The Cooperative may, prior to reconnecting service, require a reasonable payment of estimated service rendered or may refuse to reconnect service until ordered by the Commission. An account, which has been suspended for non-payment, will not be closed until the Member has been given 7 calendar days to have service reconnected. PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS:
If you are unable to pay a bill in full, you may, if qualified, be entered into a delayed Payment Arrangement and the Cooperative will not discontinue service if: 1. You pay at least ¼ of your bill; and 2. You agree to pay the balance of your bill in reasonable installments over a period of 3 months; and 3. You agree to pay in full all future bills during the period of the agreement by the due date. In arranging the installment payment agreement, the Cooperative will consider the Member’s ability to pay, the size of the unpaid account, the Member’s payment history, and the length of time and reasons account has not been paid. Failure to comply with these arrangements will void the agreement and will result in the termination of electric service without additional notice. If electric service is terminated, the entire amount past due will be required for continuation of service. If the Cooperative bills a Member for an amount to correct a previous under-billing, the Member is permitted to pay that amount pursuant to a delayed payment arrangement that provides for repayment over a period equal to the period during which the under-billing occurred. If the under-billing is the fault of the Cooperative or it is impossible to determine whether the previous under-billing is the fault of the Cooperative or the Member, the Cooperative will not impose a finance charge on the delayed payment. SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITION The Cooperative will postpone the discontinuation of service to a residential Member, if the Member presents a certificate from a physician stating that discontinuation of service will aggravate an existing medical emergency of the Member, a member of the Member’s family, or other permanent resident of the premises where service is rendered. The contents of the certificate must:
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Identify the serious medical condition; Specify the effect of discontinuation of service; Specify the time during which discontinuation of service will aggravate the serious medical condition. Members who are 65 or older or who have a disability are entitled to receive the following special attention and treatment: 1. When an identified Member who is 65 or older or who has a disability is unable to pay their bill on time, the Cooperative will arrange a delayed payment agreement or provide the names of Federal, State, and local bill payment assistance agencies. 2. Service to these qualified Members will not be disconnected on a day when the National Weather Service forecasts a maximum temperature of 95 degrees or higher. 3. At least 72 hours prior to any proposed disconnection of electric service to a qualified Member, First Electric Cooperative will attempt to contact, in person or by telephone, the Member or a person living in the household. The personal contact is to give notice of the pending termination and to explain the steps the Member can take to avoid termination of service. At least two contact attempts will be made during or outside normal working hours • To qualify as an individual with a disability, a person must be a residential Member who has a permanent severe physical or mental impairment which substantially limits his/her ability to pay the electric bill, and, who is certified as being physically or mentally disabled by a physician or other qualified person, agency or organization. • To receive the special attention and treatment to which they are entitled, qualified Members must identify themselves and register with First Electric Cooperative. A registration form may be obtained by a personal visit or tele phone call to a First Electric Cooperative office. THIRD PARTY NOTICE: Members have the right to designate a third party to be notified before First Electric Cooperative disconnects electric service. The third party so designated will have the right to receive and provide information about the Member’s circumstances, but will not be responsible for payment of the bill. Third party notification is completely voluntary. SPECIAL NOTIFICATION TO LANDLORD/TENANTS: Certain landlords/tenants will receive special consideration regarding the “Shut-Off” of electric service when the landlord receives lease or rent payments which include amounts for electric utility service. “Landlord” means the owner, agent, manager, or lessor of the premises. A tenant is a person occupying these premises. Once identified, First Electric Cooperative will not disconnect electric service to such landlord/tenant for non-payment of the bill until: 1. The tenant(s) have been notified that electric service is subject to disconnection; 2. At least 30 days have elapsed from the date the account became delinquent and, after being notified of the delinquency, the tenant has not paid for the electric service supplied after the date of notification or made arrangements with First Electric Cooperative to make such payment; and 3. Where feasible, First Electric Cooperative will offer the tenant the opportunity to apply for service in their own name. First Electric Cooperative requests all landlords who are paying for the electric service for a tenant, and all tenants whose landlord is paying the bill for the electric service, to identify themselves to the Cooperative. DEPOSIT REQUIREMENTS: For Residential Accounts only A deposit may be required from new applicants for service to guarantee payment for the service. If desired, the deposit may be paid in two equal installments. In lieu of a deposit, the Cooperative will accept: • Satisfactory credit check; • The written guaranty of a responsible third party; • A letter verifying credit history from previous electric utility showing good payment history; • If you and your spouse are in the Air Force, a military waiver can be obtained. The amount of a deposit will not exceed the estimated bill for two average billing periods. For unlawful or unauthorized use of service, the amount of deposit shall not exceed the estimated bill for six billing periods plus potential damage to Cooperative property. Interest, as determined by the Arkansas Public Service Commission on deposits is credited to Member’s accounts in January for the preceding year. Deposits can be increased to the maximum if any of the following conditions occur during the proceeding twelve (12) months: 1. Service is suspended for failure to pay; or proceed 2. Two (2) insufficient fund checks have been rendered to the Cooperative; or 3. The Member’s account has become subject to disconnect two (2) times in the last twelve (12) months. A Member may pay an additional deposit in equal installments with the next four (4) bills. When final discontinuation of service is made by the Cooperative, the amount of the deposit, plus accrued interest will be credited to the Member’s account. A deposit shall automatically be credited to the Member’s account if a Member has for a consecutive twelve (12) months’ period paid all bills prior to the due date and rendered no check that was dishonored for reasons other than bank error. HOW TO READ YOUR METER: First Electric Cooperative encourages members to read their meters. First Electric Cooperative uses a kilowatt-hour type meter in which numbers appear in a window on the face of the meter. To read your meter, simply write down the numbers in the order they appear in the