News

By: Brad Castor, President/CEO

Understanding your electric bill shouldn’t feel complicated, and at Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative, we’re committed to making it as clear and transparent as possible. After all, you’re not just a customer — you’re a member-owner, and every line on your bill reflects the cost of providing reliable service to you and your neighbors.

Let’s walk through the key sections of your bill and what they mean for you.

At the top left, you’ll find our cooperative’s contact information, including our phone number and website.

Below is the billing summary, which provides a snapshot of your account. Here, you’ll see your account number, service address, meter readings, the number of days in the billing cycle and how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) you used.

You’ll also notice a usage history chart at the top right. This visual tool tracks your monthly energy consumption over the past year, making it easy to spot trends — whether it’s higher summer cooling costs or increased winter heating needs.

One of the most important parts of your bill is the breakdown of charges. The availability charge is a fixed monthly amount that helps cover the basic cost of maintaining the electric system — poles, wires, transformers, meters and billing services. The energy charges reflect the electricity you actually use, calculated by multiplying your kWh usage by the current rate.

You may also see adjustments, such as a cost of debt or energy adjustment, which reflect changing fuel costs and system maintenance expenses. These charges can be a credit or debit and can vary slightly from month to month, depending on market conditions and the cost of generating electricity.

Finally, your bill includes the total amount due and the due date. Paying by the due date helps you avoid late fees and ensures uninterrupted service.

As a cooperative, our goal isn’t to makeva profit — it’s to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity. Any margins we earn are returned to members over time in the form of capital credits. That’s the cooperative difference: We’re owned by the people we serve, and every decision we make is focused on delivering value to our communities.

If you have questions about your bill or would like to enroll in any of our helpful services like autopay or budget billing, contact our member service representatives at (479) 394-4140.