The following are answers to common questions about your bill.
Your monthly bill is sent approximately thirty days apart. If you do not receive a bill, please call our customer service department. It is the responsibility of the member to notify Southern Rivers Energy of any change of address. Failure to receive a bill or failure of the postal service to deliver your payment to us by the due date does not exempt you from either paying the bill or from late charges that may accrue. Bills can also be viewed on the payment portal and the SRE Mobile app. Southern Rivers Energy makes every effort to contact members subject to disconnection through a courtesy call and a mailed late notice, however, courtesy calls are not guaranteed. Past due accounts are subject to disconnection.
You can receive a bill via mail, email, the online customer portal or the SRE mobile app.
All of the costs associated with purchasing power, delivering it to your home or business, maintaining data, and billing for your account are included in the base service charge which is $27.50. This portion is the minimum bill charge that covers reoccurring costs associated with making electrical service available at any location (fuel, wire, transformers, maintenance, etc.), regardless of energy usage. Charges for the amount of energy used each month make up the remainder and are calculated on a per kilowatt-hour (kWh) basis. The total of the customer charge and energy usage charge is listed as "Energy Charges" on the first line of your bill.
The Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) is a variable built into the rate structure in order to adjust the rates charged to members when the price of fuels used to generate electricity (primarily coal and natural gas) rises and falls over time. It also includes the cost fluctuations of materials and other factors that may affect the price of providing power. The adjustment may be positive or negative depending on price fluctuations but using the PCA each month helps avoid large, permanent rate adjustments.
Southern Rivers Energy uses digital meters that are read remotely through radio frequency signals. The energy usage information is then downloaded into a computer for bill processing. This system makes recording and accounting for energy usage extremely accurate. The current meter reading is provided on your bill. You can easily check this number against the actual current meter reading, which is clearly visible on the front of your meter.
While most residential electric accounts follow a typical pattern of seasonal usage, occasionally a customer will experience a higher or lower than normal bill. In the average home, over 40 percent of the energy bill is from heating and cooling which means your bill is subject to weather patterns. Sudden fluctuations can also indicate a problem with equipment in your home. More information about energy efficiency can be found on this website and in our monthly newsletter. Additionally, our energy experts can help you answer energy efficiency questions and also offer a free energy audit service for your home.