Your monthly usage is determined by automated meter reading system (AMR) which is read on the first of each month.
Monthly bills are mailed around the 7th of the month and payments are due by the 25th of the same month. If your payment is not received by the 25th, your account will be charged a 5% penalty. The amount to pay after the 25th is located on your billing statement. It is important to note that all accounts are subject to disconnection if payments are not received by the due date.
Power Cost Adjustment
Bluestem Electric Cooperative purchases power each month from its power supplier, Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (KEPCo), at a wholesale cost to meet the electric energy needs of its members. This cost of wholesale power is a significant cost of providing electric service to the member.
The Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) provides for a monthly adjustment dependent on any differences in the average cost from the base cost of wholesale power. When the kilowatt hour cost to the cooperative is lower than the base cost, there is a credit to the bill. When the kilowatt hour cost to the cooperative is higher than the base cost, there is an adder to the bill.
Wholesale power costs fluctuate for a host of reasons. For example, in the hot summer months, the excess demand for energy requires KEPCo to purchase power from more expensive sources, which includes additional generation costs.
As you can guess, people generally don’t ask questions when their bills are lowered with a credit. They tend to ask questions when their bill is increased. However, consumers can help the cooperative and in turn, themselves by curtailing their usage during the peak hours of the hot days of summer (approx. 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
Rate Information
The single-phase rate is applicable to single-phase services of a single character for domestic (residential), non-domestic (non-residential), farm, public building and commercial use. Individual electric motor sizes are limited to 15 hp and smaller. Single-phase is typically used in homes and small businesses.
Learn more about the Single Phase Rate
The three-phase rate is applicable to three-phase services of a single character supplied at one point of delivery and limited to loads less than 100 kW. Individual electric motor sizes are limited to 50 hp and smaller. This phase is common for large businesses, industry, irrigation and manufacturing.
Learn more about the Three Phase Rate
Learn about the Large Power Rate
Why is my bill so high?
To figure out why your electric bill is "so high", the first thing you need to do is figure out what's normal. It is best to look at your kilowatt hour (kWh) usage instead of the actual electric cost or comparing your bill to your neighbor’s bill. Electric cost fluctuates due to winter/summer rates, power cost adjustment and property tax adjustment. Your neighbor could have a wide variety of factors (ex. amount of insulation in their house, number of appliances, age of appliances, lifestyle, etc.) that cause them to have different usage.