Budget Billing

Ups and downs of your electric bill can throw YOUR financial budgets off balance... until now.
Aha Macav Power Service (AMPS) was pleased to announce Budget Billing was made available to our residential customers beginning January 2008.

What is Budget Billing?
Your electric utility bill reflects all the energy services you use.  It will be higher as you use more energy during peak heating and cooling seasons. With Budget Billing, you will not get higher summer or winter bills because your payment is based on your charges billed and averaged over the last year. Budget Billing will help make planning your payments easier.

AMPS will continue to read your meter(s) every month, your monthly bill will show exactly how much energy you used, the actual bill amount, and the deferred balance on your account. Some months you will pay less than your actually usage, and some months you will pay more than your actual usage.

When does Budget Billing begin? Enrollment for Budget Billing began in November. The new Budget Billing enrollment period will began during each November.

How is your monthly budget calculated? Your monthly Budget Billing amount is based on the average of your bill charges during the last 12 months (including local taxes and service charges).

What is deferred balance? The difference between the actual bill charges and your Budget Bill amount each month is maintained as a deferred balance. If the deferred balance is a negative amount, your account has a credit which will be used in later months to reduce your bills during times of higher consumption. If the deferred balance is a positive amount, your account is carrying a debit balance which will be paid off during months of lower consumption.

Who is eligible? All residential customers who have:
- Minimum of 12 months continuous utility service
- No past due balances on account (account must be current)
- Request to be on the Budget Billing program by completing the Budget Billing Plan Request Form

What are the Participation rules? Budget amount is based on the previous 12 months bills plus any anticipated increase.
- Account balance due must be $0.00 before starting budget billing
- AMPS may discontinue Budget Billing to any customer that misses two (2) payments in any calendar year. Discontinuances of Budget Billing to a consumer will result in immediate payment of accumulative bill.
- Budget Billing consumers shall be applicable to the same rules for disconnection of service as are all other classes of consumers.

Who should use Budget Billing? The program is most beneficial to AMPS' Customers who use electric cooling/heating or have bills which vary from month to month or season to season.

Is Budget Billing mandatory? No. Budget Billing is by individual choice for the member's convenience only and may be discontinued by either the Customer or AMPS at anytime.

Will Budget Billing save me money? No. You will continue to pay for the exact kilowatt-hours used during the year. However, you will probably pay less than you're used to during the summer months and more during the winter months.

How will my payment be determined? Our Budget Billing payment will be determined by your previous 12 months total consumption and any anticipated rate changes.

Will my payment stay the same all year? Each December, your Budget Billing amount will be recalculated to ensure accuracy.

What if I pay too much or too little during the year? Any credit accrued will automatically be applied to future bills until exhausted. All amounts owed AMPS by our true-up month of December will need to be paid in full before the next program year begins in January of each year. Upon customer request, in writing, AMPS will return Budget Billing credits during January.

Will my meter be read each month? Yes. Your meter will continue to be read on a monthly basis. You will continue to receive a monthly bill as you have in the past. The bill will indicate your current kilowatt-hour consumption and your current Budget Billing amount.

What if I move during the year? Budget Billing payments are determined for your particular residence and are not transferrable, as the average energy use may vary between residences. When service is terminated at one location, we close the Budget Billing account and render a final bill.

What if I miss a Budget Billing payment? The Budget Billing plan is based on regular monthly payments being received. AMPS may discontinue Budget Billing to any consumer that misses two (2) payments in any calendar year. Late charges will be added to Budget Billing account and you will be required to pay the account current if there are any outstanding charges as a result of the Budget Billing cancellation.

When do I make monthly payments? Your monthly bill must be paid just as a regular billing, on or before the due date.

Can I cancel Budget Billing? You may cancel Budget Billing at any time; however, once you cancel you must wait one (1) full year to start the program again. Upon cancellation any debit balance will become due; any credit balance will be applied to your account for future bills unless service is completely cancelled. If service is completely cancelled the credit balance will be returned to the customer minus the final bill.

Click here for your Budget Billing Plan enrollment form.