LIHEAP.jpg

Southwestern Electric offers two payment programs to help you level out electric bills and control expenses.

LEVELIZED BILLING

Southwestern Electric Cooperative offers levelized billing to help you avoid substantial changes in the amount of your electric bill from one month to the next. Levelized billing flattens the peaks and valleys that come with seasonal changes in your electric usage, making it easier for you to plan your budget. Your payment will probably vary by a few dollars from month to month.

When you sign up for levelized billing, your bill will be based on a rolling 12-month average.

To qualify:

  • Your current account must have been active for at least 12 months and have a zero balance when you enroll.
  • You'll need a history of consistently paying your bill on time, with no more than one late payment in the past 12 months.
  • Monthly payments must be made by their due date.

If you decide to discontinue levelized billing or your account is disconnected, your account balance will be payable in full on the due date of your next bill.

PAY-AS-YOU-GO

Effective July 1, 2025, Southwestern Electric will require a minimum payment of $20 each time you add money to your Pay As You Go account. Your payment will be applied directly to your usage.

What this means for you:

  • Beginning July 1, when you’re adding funds to your account (online, via the SmartHub app or at a payment location), the minimum amount you can add will be $20.
  • Your existing account balance won’t be affected.

The new minimum payment helps us:

  • Address the rising costs of payment processing fees. Southwestern pays processing fees on a per-transaction basis. The $20 minimum payment was implemented to reduce the frequency of Pay As You Go transactions, lowering processing costs incurred by the cooperative.
  • Maintain consistent payment practices. In the past, our minimum payment amounts varied by payment method and location. A uniform $20 minimum payment will eliminate confusion by setting a standard that applies to all payment methods and locations.

You can make your $20 minimum payment by:

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is a minimum payment being implemented now?

A: We’re continually taking steps to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. We held off on requiring a minimum payment as long as possible, but rising payment processing fees made the adjustment necessary. A $20 minimum payment was chosen to reduce operational costs while avoiding the more significant burden a higher minimum payment would have placed on our members.

Q: Will this affect my current account balance?

A: No. Your balance won’t be affected.

Q: Can I still monitor my usage in real-time?

A: Absolutely. Your usage monitoring options remain unchanged. You have the same visibility and control over your energy use you’ve always had.

If you have questions or concerns about the new $20 minimum payment, please call us at 800-637-8667. A member of our management team will be happy to speak with you!

PAYMENT ASSISTANCE (LIHEAP)

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is designed to help eligible low income households pay for winter energy service. For more information on this program, visit IllinoisLIHEAP.com or call the toll-free hotline, (877) 411-WARM.

HELPING WITH A PAYMENT

If you’d like to help a Southwestern Electric member pay their bill, you can use Quick Pay. You don’t need to be a co-op member or have SmartHub (our account management app) to use Quick Pay. Anyone can use Quick Pay to make a payment on a member’s bill.

Here are the details:

  • Purpose: The Quick Pay feature is designed for quick and easy one-time payments.
  • No Account Required: You can make a payment without logging into SmartHub or having a SmartHub account. 
  • How it Works: To make a payment on an account, you'll need the account number and last name or business name associated with the account. 
  • Payment Methods: You can pay with a debit or credit card. 

Have questions about Quick Pay? Call us at (800) 637-8667. We’ll be happy to help you.

Tags