Food. Gasoline. Even cell phone minutes. We pay for those and other goods and services before we actually use them. Pay-as-you-go electric service, also called AdvancePay, is growing in popularity among cooperative members.
AdvancePay works similar to a prepaid cellular phone. You put money into your AdvancePay account and as you use electricity, the cost of the usage will be deducted from your Advance Pay account balance daily. AdvancePay allows you to pay for your electricity when you want and in the amounts you want, instead of receiving a paper or electronic bill each month.
We are encouraging members to switch to AdvancePay for a variety of reasons.
First, you have your finger on the pulse of your own electric usage. Just log into your account online at www.santee.org or on our free SmartHub app to see exactly how much electricity you use. There are graphs that show how much electricity you are using each hour of the day. This helps many members target what is using the most electricity in their homes, enabling them to cut back on their power costs all together. With this program, you are empowered to manage electric use in a way that best suits your individual situation.
If saving electricity isn't enough incentive to switch to AdvancePay, maybe getting your deposit back is? There is no deposit required when switching a traditional account in good standing to AdvancePay. That means you get your original deposit back! For new members, the AdvancePay option cuts out the need for a deposit altogether.
Finally, AdvancePay members never pay a late charge, disconnect fee or reconnect fee. When your account runs low you can pay by phone at 1-877-833-3661 or simply pay while you are logged into your account on the internet or the SmartHub app.
If funds in your account run out, your electric service will automatically turn off. Traditionally, you may have a balance that has to be paid before someone can come to your home and reconnect your electricity. With AdvancePay, you just add money to the account and your power automatically comes back on.
You can switch your regular account to an AdvancePay account very easily. Just call 1-800-922-1604 and a customer service representative will be happy to discuss how easy the process is.
Robert G. Ardis III
President and Chief Executive Officer