About Levelized Billing

Carroll EMC’s levelized billing makes your electric bills nearly predictable. Under levelized billing, each monthly bill is the rolling average of your electric usage for the most recent 12 months. For instance, this month’s bill would be the average electric usage of the previous 11 months, plus this month. Your electric bill will change only slightly from month to month, and the12-month rolling average guards against drastic changes in your bill, even during the coldest and hottest months. The only time you have to reconcile your account is if you leave the Carroll EMC system or if you decided you no longer want to participate in the levelized billing plan.

Levelized billing is a rotating average, so there is no settle up month (unlike budget billing). It will continue to rotate.

• Carroll EMC takes the average of the previous 12 months to determine the levelized amount. Each month that a new bill comes out, the average is recalculated.
  • If the levelized amount is more than the actual bill, the amount over the billed amount will be put towards the Member’s arrears as a credit.
  • If the levelized amount is less than the actual bill, the difference will be added to the Member’s arrears balance as an amount owed.
• As long as the Member is on levelized billing, they do not need to worry about the arrears.
• Once a Member is removed from the levelized billing plan, they can be set back up when they have a zero balance.

Eligibility

If you’ve lived in your current home for at least 12 months, have a traditional (not PrePay) account, have a favorable credit rating and have a zero balance on your account, you may qualify for Levelized Billing. It allows you to pay about the same amount each month — making it easier to manage your energy budget. Smooth out the budget bumps of high summer and winter electric use by signing up now.

If you sign up for budget billing, you must understand the following:

• The Member’s account must have a zero balance and preferably 12 months of history to be put on levelized billing.
• The amount of your levelized bill will appear on the monthly bill in the space designated “Total Amount Due.”
• Your payment must be received in full by Carroll EMC by the due date each month.
  • If your payment is not received by the due date, you may be removed from the program.
  • Members on levelized billing should not pay ahead or before their account is billed. This could cause an adverse effect on the monthly balance calculation. Do not pay ahead without notifying Carroll EMC (this includes energy assistance).
  • No arrangements are allowed when a Member is signed up for levelized billing. If an arrangement is needed, the Member must come off of levelized billing, and the total balance must be paid.
• You may withdraw from the program at any time.

There is no charge to be placed on levelized billing, and Members may return to regular billing at any time by notifying Carroll EMC and by paying the total amount due on the bill.

About Budget Billing

Budget billing is designed to ease the impact of higher seasonal electric bills for residential Members. It spreads bills into 11 equal monthly payments, helping you plan ahead by letting you know exactly what your monthly payments will be. It does not lower or raise your annual electric bill. The 12th month is for settling up the bill.

At the end of 12 months, you start over with a new average bill. If you paid for more electricity than you used over the first 11 months, we will credit your account for the difference. If you used more electricity than you paid for, then we bill you for that amount. Your budget billing payments may be adjusted each year depending upon your electricity usage and current electric rates.

Eligibility

To be eligible for budget billing, the following must be true:

• You may set up budget billing at any time as long as you have a $0.00 balance with the understanding that it benefits you more to have a full 12 months of usage.
• With budget billing, you must pay your bills by the due date. If not, you may be removed from the plan and returned to regular billing.
• There is no charge to be placed on budget billing, and you may return to regular billing at any time by notifying Carroll EMC and by paying the total amount due on the bill.

If you sign up for budget billing, you must understand the following:

• The amount of your budget bill will appear on the monthly bill in the space designated “Total Amount Due.”
• Your payment must be received by Carroll EMC by the due date.
• If your payment is not received by the due date, you may be removed from the program.
• You may withdraw from the program at any time.