Wake Electric Membership Corp

Wake electric generally gives a warning call about your account balance 24hrs before cutting service. However, there are now two instances in which they have cut my power within 4 hours even after acknowledging there was still $14 left on the account. It is impossible for me to have used that much electricity as I was at work. Of course they "cant" (more like wont) restore services until the following morning. They really could care less about having children (including infants) sleep with the temperature below freezing. If you can help it, steer clear of this inconsiderate, poorly managed company

I have been a loyal customer to wake electric for almost 3 yrs. From time to time my balance has became negative and I've always paid and had power restored immediately. However, recently my power was turned off due to a -$1 balance, I called after I got off work (we aren't allowed to have phones at work) and made a payment of $76 to have it restored. After waiting an hour to no avail I called the after hours line and was told I would not have power until 7 am the next morning, 12 hours with no power. I have small children in the home and that didn't matter, my son is already fighting bronchitis and asthma and that doesn't matter. This is completely unprofessional and absolutely ridiculous ot the provider to put a family through this over $1. Now my son is really sick and will have to miss school, which means I'll have to miss work and all they can say is "that's the policy", to bad no one told me about that policy.

Broken contract agreement for electricity at $228.00 a month for 12 months.I spoke with a manager at Wake Electric who convinced me that the electric bill would be no more than $228.00 a month and would not reach more than $230.00 a month. This plan I am on would remain in effect for at least a year. I would not have to worry about a settle up dated. My average for the last 12 months was $228.00. The billing dates can be seen from 04/02/2015 to 05/01/XXXX XX days at 1191 kwh usage. Then again 05/01/2015 to 06/01/2015 kwh usage 1604 the bill again was as agreed $228.00.On August 9, 2015 I received a letter stating a change in how the bill was to be calculated, stating I made a mistake before determining the budget plan was right for me. The next bill from 07/02/2015 through 10/02/2015 I began to notice an increase from $228.00, $229.00$233.00, $235.00, $240.00. Each month the bill was getting higher and higher. I spoke with a representative 10/26/2015 who explained that the billing calculations was changed recently and I was referred to the August 3, 2015 letter. I said I thought the $228.00 was for a year at least before there was some any changes would be made. I thought it was like any other utility bill.Desired SettlementI would like a refund or a credit for each calculated amount that went over the agreed $228.00 a month reoccurring charge. Business Response Wake Electric offers various bill payment options: Prepay, Budget Billing, Levelized Billing, along with other payment plans and rates. Specific to this inquiry, we will first define levelized billing. Members on our standard post-pay rate consume electricity and are billed for the amount used after-the-fact each month. To reduce the peaks and valleys generally associated with heating/cooling seasons and milder months of spring and fall, levelized billing is offered as an option to our members to ease the impact of higher seasonal electric bills for our residential accounts. Under levelized billing, each monthly bill is defined as the rolling average of the member's electric usage for the most recent 12 months. In other words, the bill is calculated using the average electric usage of the previous 11 months, plus current month. While our members may see a rise or fall in the monthly billed amount, it is directly associated with usage patterns. However, this rate is designed such that members billed on this rate will not experience the drastic monthly changes that could be associated with post pay accounts being billed month to month for kWh's consumed during the most recent bill cycle.Budget billing offers a similar concept. Members on budget billing indeed do pay the same amount for 11 consecutive months. On the 12th month, there is a "true-up" billing. The plan works by spreading bills into 11 equal monthly payments - helping members plan ahead by knowing exactly what the monthly payment will be each month. But, it does not lower or raise the annual electric bill. The 12th month is the "settling" up month meaning that at the end of 12 months, the member starts over with a new average bill. If the member paid for more electricity than used over the first 11 months, we'll credit the account the difference. If the member used more electricity than was paid for, then we simply bill for that amount.At Wake Electric, it is our intention to advise members of billing options available, and letting them determine the best rate available for their needs. Please don't hesitate to contact our Cooperative for more information regarding our rate plans and options. Consumer Response I have never been forced to be a part of a group that makes you pay for membership. I want and need electricity but why should I pay for a membership? What are the benefits? Does it lower my bill or give me any options? It only gives me the right to vote for a person I do not know as a representative. If I could change and be with a different electric company I would [redacted] at least provides a discount for seniors and people with low income. I was with progress energy for years until I moved five years ago. [redacted] energy billing and KWH rates did not make me panic like at Wake Electric. I panic because I was not informed the process. The process I was introduced to was a combination of two billing options. The evidence can be seen as the bill remain $230.00 as agreed.. When the bill began to fluctuate I figured there was a problem and when I received a written notice of the changes that was the icing on the cake. I would like to be placed on the Budget Billing if I am reading it correctly , I would be charged the same amount each month until the 12 month then I would settle up with paying overages or receive a credit as I used less KWH. I believe the Budget Billing would be best if the amount is on set price for 11 months beginning next month which is December 2015 and a settle up December 2016. The question is how and when Wake Electric would calculate the monthly billing.Final Business Response We have contacted member to provide details as it relates to budget and levelized billing specific to his account. Member has elected to migrate to budget from levelized. Budget billing is designed to ease the impact of higher seasonal electric bills for residential customers. It spreads bills into 11 equal monthly payments - helping members plan ahead by letting them know exactly what their monthly payments will be. It does not lower or raise the annual electric bill because the 12th month is the "settling" up month.At the end of 12 months, members on budget start over with a new average bill. If they paid for more electricity than used over the previous 11 months, the new budget amount will reflect a credit balance. If the member used more electricity than paid for, the new budget amount will be increased to include the accumulated balance. Obviously, budget billing payments may also be adjusted each year depending upon predicted electricity usage and current electric rates. Members still have the option to pay their accumulated balance to $0 at the time of settle up. If they wish to pay the accumulated balance in the settle up month, we ask them to contact Customer Service to recalculate the new budget amount with this consideration.For members interested in the rate, please be advised there is no charge to be placed on budget or levelized billing, and consumers may return to regular billing at any time by notifying Wake Electric in writing and by paying the total amount due on the bill. The monthly bill also displays any accumulated balances throughout the year. In this way, members are advised of any credits or overages pending on the account.An electric cooperative is a unique organization offering two distinct advantages to its members that do not exist in other businesses. The first advantage is that members own the organization that serves them. This means they have the right to one vote at annual meetings and a voice in the affairs of the organization through your elected Board of Directors. The second advantage is that any profits left over after the corporation pays its expenses are shared proportionately among its members, by way of[redacted] payments. As part of ownership, members pay a $5.00 member fee at the time of application. This membership fee is returned when the member requests termination of services from the Cooperative.

We have been trying to get power hooked up to our new home since last week Tuesday. A week and half has passed and we still do not have power.A year and half ago we had a house fire and had to have the old house demolished. Since then we have had power on the new home, but because the home was placed in the 30 foot setback by 10 ft, we had to have the new home moved forward a little over 10 ft. Well to do this we had to have the power disconnected so the house could be moved. We ordered the lines to be reconnected to the meter box last week Tuesday, and kept wondering why it had not been done yet. So I called Wake Electric on Wednesday to find out what was going on. They proceeded to tell me that they had charge our account and had taken it down to a negative -283.61 and that we needed to pay them money before they would come out and do the work. Now the last time that we had this done, before we had to move the house, they didn't charge us to come out and hook up the lines to the box. So like I said we had no idea why the work wasn't being completed. They problem is we are on a pay as you go account which means that they should not have taken our account to a negative in the first place. Second they sent out an invoice for the work which got returned to sender by the post office so we never had any idea what the hold up was. They could have called after the invoice got returned to them, because they have our number on file, but they didn't do that. So a week and half later we are getting told that the lines will be reconnected on Monday sometime, and we have only been calling them since Wednesday. If we had known about the money they needed to have then we would have paid and we could have already been in our new home, but now we have to wait until Monday. By the way, they are charging us for having to splice the lines to run them to the box when all they have to do is dig the lines up and then dig them to the box which is a lot cheaper. So instead of paying $150, we have to pay $350 plus a $25 to reconnect the power so we have lights. So we get charged more because why. I am just totally fed up with Wake Electric. If I had another chose for a power company, then I would switch to them, but seeing how only [redacted] is a monopoly there is no other chose. Please help to take care of this problem so as they don't do this to anyone else. Thank you, [redacted]Desired SettlementThe $ 200 difference that they are charging us to do a splice instead of digging the line to the box which is cheaper just not easier.Business Response Contact Name and Title: [redacted] Manager of EnContact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXXContact Email: [redacted]@wemc.comWake Electric has addressed the issues that were mentioned in the complaint. Very often, we do not know the amount or condition of the underground cable at a customer premise, so our standard solution is to splice the cable and provide a new connection. While doing the work, Wake Electric determined that we could achieve the desired results with existing cable in the ground. With this understanding, we contacted the customer and asked if they would like the $200 credited to their Prepay account or have us issue the return in check form. Per the customers request, we have credited the account. Wake Electric has apologized for the communications issue when the invoice notification was returned by the postal service. It was returned because the customer's forwarding address had expired. Once, Wake Electric realized that it had been returned, we used other forms of communications including telephone, email, and a door hanger to notify the customer of the outstanding invoice. The customer now has service, and has been credited for the difference in service charges. To our knowledge all outstanding issues have been resolved.

In the month of March my Electric Service was disconnected and I had to pay past due,a facility fee,a trip fee-no trip involved,and a reconnect fee.ACCOUNT NUMBER: [redacted] On March 06 2014 I made a payment of $90.50 to Wake Electric which left a remaining balance of $100.00 that was past due on 03/07/14. A couple of days later my Electric Service was disconnected. To turn the service back on I had to pay the past due amount, plus a $20.00 trip charge(physical trip not involved) and a $30.00 reconnect fee. Miscellaneous fees that are added to my monthly bill non-pay regular time fee $30.00, facility charge $10.00, NC REPS COMPLIANCE CHARGE $1.00. After paying all of the fees to have the service turned back on, the service was disconnected again on April 15 2014. 0n 04/07/2014 $150.00 was paid; on 04/08/2014 $20.00 was paid; on 04/10/2014 $25.00 was all paid to Wake Electric. And the Service still was disconnected on 04/15/2014, to reconnect the services today a total amount paid was $77.50 that includes all of their miscellaneous fees.Desired SettlementI would like to have the NON PAY TRIP CHARGE ($20.00), the RECONNECT CHARGE ($30.00) refunded or credited on the next bill. Also I would like to have the Miscellaneous fees removed from the monthly bill. Example: NON-PAY REGULAR TIME $30.00, FACILITY CHARGE $10.00, NC REPS COMPLIANCE CHARGE $1.00. Help and assistance needed.Business Response This account is served under the guidelines of our traditional post-payment requirements. An investigation reveals the initial bill in question was issued on 1/23/14. Members are given 25 days to pay the bill from the time of issuance in this case member bill was due on 2/18/14, or being subject to a late fee. Member did not pay the total bill by this deadline, thus a late fee was added. The next month's bill was issued on 2/21/14 stating the previous outstanding balance would be subject for disconnection if not paid in full by 3/7/14. According to our records, disconnection occurred on 3/11/14. When a post-pay account is disconnected, a fee associated with the disconnection and reconnection of the account is added. Those fees are displayed on the back of the bill under our Schedule of Charges.The March bill was issued on 3/21/14, and it noted the outstanding balance from the previous bill of unpaid charges. The bill stated the account to be subject for disconnection if the previous balance was not paid by 4/7/14. Unfortunately, member was again disconnected for non-payment on 4/15/14.The complaint also asks for clarification of the Facilities Charge and the NC Reps Compliance Charge. The facilities charge is a flat fee paid by all accounts. It is designed to recover our consumer related costs that vary with the operation and maintenance of the electric distribution system, meter reading and billing, and customer service activities.The NC Reps Compliance Charge applies to all cooperative members on a per meter basis for the recovery of the cooperative's costs associated with meeting the Renewable Energy and Energy Efciency Portfolio Standard mandated by our State.All charges applied to this account were administered correctly.For members that struggle with post-payment requirements, we recommend they review our prepay rate schedule. In this way, many of the costs associated with deposit and reconnect charges can be eliminated. You may wish to contact us by phone or visit our Wake Forest office for further details of this rate.

I have been a loyal customer to wake electric for almost 3 yrs. From time to time my balance has became negative and I've always paid and had power restored immediately. However, recently my power was turned off due to a -$1 balance, I called after I got off work (we aren't allowed to have phones at work) and made a payment of $76 to have it restored. After waiting an hour to no avail I called the after hours line and was told I would not have power until 7 am the next morning, 12 hours with no power. I have small children in the home and that didn't matter, my son is already fighting bronchitis and asthma and that doesn't matter. This is completely unprofessional and absolutely ridiculous ot the provider to put a family through this over $1. Now my son is really sick and will have to miss school, which means I'll have to miss work and all they can say is "that's the policy", to bad no one told me about that policy. ","neg-1

Electric bill continues to raise higher and higher each month.I received my first bill 04/09/2012 the bill was $200.00 n an equal payment plan. It was my understanding on equal payment the bill would remain the same and if there are any overages it would be settled on the last month of the year. The equal payment was great with a $5.00 increase here and until 08/08/2014 the bill was$243.00. I then stopped equal payment because it kept getting higher and higher. Now 12/09/2014 $240.03 01/09/2015 $251.04 02/09/2015 $315.33 and now 03/09/2015 $347.76. The bill continues to go up even though I reduced the thermostat, reduced cooking on the stove, shower time, and t.v.. I have not purchased any new equipment. Sooner or later I will not be able to afford paying the gigantic increases, that I do not find justifiable. I believe every month I am also charged fees I do not understand like Membershipand Facility charge. Desired SettlementI want to know why my bill is so high and an explanation of the charges for membership and facility. I also want a viable solution to reduce my bill as there are no changes from 2012 to now within the house.Business Response The member was contacted by phone to discuss consumption trends, usage patterns, etc. Member was advised of available tools to monitor usage ([redacted] application) and intends to start reviewing more consistently. We also further clarified the difference between budget billing and levelized billing. Member elected to sign up for levelized billing, which allows for more consistent electric bills. Under levelized billing, each monthly bill is the rolling average of a member's electric usage for the most recent 12 months. Member was also encouraged to contact us directly with any additional concerns.