FAQs

Start by completely filling out our online application. Then, call (903) 846-2311 and ask to speak to a Member Service Representative.

Conventional billing gives you a bill for usage over the course of 1 month. A credit check is required, and you may be subject to a deposit.

Pre-pay is daily billing with electronic alerts and reminders via text and email. No deposit is required, but a 12-month contract is required. For more information and to download a Prepay Contract, visit our Payment & Billing Options page.

All new members are required to undergo a “soft” credit check to assess credit risk and verify their personal information. This is done through Online Utility Exchange in partnership with Experian.  The credit check gives a green light or a red light. A red light will require a deposit based on Member Policy #10.

See our Deposits page for more information.

All residential bills have 3 basic components:

1. Each meter is subject to a minimum Customer Service Charge of $31.50 per month for residential customers.
2. Our Tariffs or Rates (measured in kWh, or kilowatt-hours) are the industry standard for measuring the amount of energy that passes through your meter and into your home. If you had ten 100-watt lightbulbs burning for one hour, that would require 1 kWh of energy) which is $0.109613 year-round. Please see our Rates & Fees section for more information.
3. A Power Cost Recovery Factor (PCRF) is a charge per kilowatt-hour (kWh) purchased, which may vary from month to month based on the wholesale power cost.

Your bill may also include a charge for Security Lights. Each security light has a basic charge and an associated PCRF based on the amount of kWh each light consumes. Rates for the various types of Security Lights are available in our Rates & Fees section.

For a detailed breakdown of your bill, visit our Understanding Your Bill page.

Having more than one meter gives you options.

• You can choose Invoice Billing, which puts all meters on a single bill and allows payment with the invoice number.
• You can choose Individual Billing per meter, which may require separate payments depending on your payment method.

**The Multiple meters option can result in a balance on one meter and a credit on another that do not automatically offset. Should this occur, contact the office by calling (903) 846-2311.

Visit the Create New User section of our user portal and complete the required information to create your online account. Read the prompts on screen to finish the setup. Once you understand the information, select the “Continue” button to step through all the form sections. Be sure to fill out all of the required information, and when you are finished, hit submit. You are done!

At this point, you can download our mobile app for your favorite devices or continue using the desktop version!

Our bills are generated by a 3^rd party and mailed to you. They have a large facility producing tens of thousands of bills daily. The USPS has employees at its facilities to enter bills into the system as soon as they are generated. We have no control over mail delivery timing and strongly suggest electronic billing.

You can enjoy electronic billing while still paying by any of our numerous methods. Just because you “e-bill” doesn’t mean you have to “e-pay”. However, the same timing issue persists with payments mailed. Penalties are applied to all payments received after the due date. Our policy is taken directly from the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which allows a 16-day grace period before a bill is considered late.

Bills are a function of usage, which varies depending on your home and habits. No two homes are exactly alike, and even if similar, they are not operated the same.

Ambient temperature is overwhelmingly the driver of usage and, therefore, the amount on your bill. The hotter and colder it is outside, the more all HVAC units have to work to maintain the desired temperature setting on your thermostat. This is why winter & summer bills are the highest and spring & fall bills are the lowest.

Levelized Billing is a great tool to avoid the ups and downs of monthly billing. Learn more about it on our Payment & Billing Options page.

Levelized billing allows each member to get the most consistent monthly bill. Levelized bills are calculated using a rolling 12-month average. It does require the member to be on a bank draft.

Learn more information about Levelized Billing on our Payment & Billing Options page.

Extensions are available contingent on the length of service and payment records. They are available monthly, provided the extension is kept exactly as agreed.

Deferred Payment Plans are also available contingent on the member’s payment history with the Cooperative.

Both of these options require you to contact a Member Services Representative and are described in Member Policy 19 (PDF).