Whether summer or winter, members sometimes struggle in paying growing electric bills. Summer bills reflect increased usage as we use air conditioning to provide comfort and escape summer's heat. In the winter heating season, member's bills reflect the cost of running furnaces, electric space heaters and the increased electricity use that goes along with spending more time indoors. We understand the higher bills are not something members look forward to and some members occasionally may have difficulty paying their electric bills. However, each member is still responsible for paying for the amount of power they use.
Your electric bill is due and payable by the 15th of each month. Payments can be paid at local banks up to the 10th. Mailed payments with a postmark by the 15th are considered penalty free even when received on a later date. Drop boxes are available at each area office. Payments can be paid on-line via credit card and are penalty free if made prior to 8:00 a.m. on the 16th. If your bill is paid after the 15th a 10% penalty is added to the balance. If payment is not received by the 21st of the month a reminder notice is sent with the current disconnect date noted. Payments not received by the stated disconnect day is then subject to disconnection and procedures begin immediately.
This may sound harsh, but as cooperative members, we all pay rates based on what it costs to serve all members. And as any business, the cooperative has monthly bills that it is responsible for paying in a timely manner. Uncollectible bills are part of doing business, but the amount we cannot collect eventually has to be paid by the rest of the membership. Therefore, we attempt to keep our "bad debts" expense low to keep expenses low for everyone.
If you get into a situation where you are unable to pay your bill in a timely manner, please notify us. We will attempt to work with you in a manner that is fair and reasonable. Don't ignore the problem and just expect it to go away -it won't. The time to contact us is immediately upon discovering that you will not be able to pay the full amount by the 15th due date - not when a Co-op employee is at your door to disconnect the service.
If you contact us before the problem escalates, you also will not incur as many expenses (such as trip charges to the location).
Please keep in mind that we do not enjoy disconnecting service for nonpayment. Again, if you are in a situation where you cannot pay your bill, please contact us to discuss the problem. We will try very hard to work with you. Remember, that honoring your payment agreement insures continued trust and help.
If a hardship exists or you truly are unable to pay your bill, various state or community agencies may be able to offer you assistance in paying your electric bill. Below is a list of those agencies and their phone numbers. Please keep in mind that we cannot guarantee that any of these agencies definitely will help you.
Assistance Organizations
Texas County
Ozark Action - 417-967-2036
Division of Family Services - 417-967-4551
Food Pantry - 417-967-4484
Dent County
South Central MO Community Action - 573-729-3500
Division of Family Services - 573-729-4137
Salvation Army - 573-729-8163
S.O.L.V.E. - 573-729-7294
Phelps County
Division of Family Services - 573-368-2340
MOCA - Rolla - 573-364-8696
MOCA - St. Roberts - 573-336-8442
MOCA - Vienna - 573-422-3837
St. James Caring Communities - 573-265-2047
GRACE - 573-368-5577
Salvation Army - 573-368-4918
Shannon County
Division of Family Services - 573-226-3295
South Central MO Community Action - 573-325-4255
Wright County
Ozark Action - 417-926-5570
Family Services/Salvation Army - 417-926-4142
Maries County
MOCA - 573-422-3837
Crawford County
MOCA - 573-775-2502