Effective with member billings that begin on Apr. 1, Flint Energies’ base residential rate will move from $23/month to $24/month. It follows a rate change plan that calls for the residential base charge to increase to $27/month by 2018.

 “We have calculated the actual cost of providing service to a residential location at over $31/month,” according to Flint Energies Sr. Vice President Jimmy Autry. “We anticipate our monthly base charge to rise a bit each year as we cover these higher costs of service.”

The base charge is the fixed amount charged each billing period to cover Flint's cost of a meter, reading the meter, billing the account through data processing, and collecting and crediting payment, Autry added. 

Also with this rate change, the kilowatt-hour charge for all rates will increase $0.005 (one-half penny). The cost of a kilowatt-hour is driven by the wholesale price of the electricity generation which Flint purchases. Flint’s residential rate will go from 9.5 cents per kilowatt-hour to 10 cents per kilowatt-hour on Apr. 1. The wholesale power cost adjustment rider (which can change monthly) will go down from $0.005/kWh to $0.000/kWh on Apr. 1, but can fluctuate based on the costs to generate power.

“We work every day to offer reliable, affordable electric service,” said Autry. “As a local, not-for-profit electric cooperative, our primary goal is to minimize the effects of potential increases while maintaining cost-effective reliable electric service that members can count on.”

“Even with the rate changes, the value of electricity remains very high,” Autry added. “Over recent years, electricity’s price has risen less than many other member costs.”

Other rate changes will affect a few larger commercial users. Each of them has been contacted about those changes, according to Autry. Other changes include: 1) the closure of the Net Metering (NEM-14) rate to new applicants after April 1, 2016, 2) changing the base charge for the General Service Non-Demand from $25 to $26 per month, 3) changes in the area lighting program to move from high pressure sodium lights to LED lights, and 4) revising the load management rider rate. 

Base rate changes will also be in effect for the other rate schedules which have been billed at $23/month in the past. Members may compare current residential rates online at the Georgia Public Service Commission website: http://www.psc.state.ga.us/electric/surveys/residentialrs.asp.

OPTION FOR PREPAID

Nearly 6,500 Flint Energies members have opted for the Pay Your Way prepaid service. The rate charged for Pay Your Way is exactly the same rate as paid by other residential members. The $24/month base charge is actually allocated and charged on a daily basis for Pay Your Way accounts at the rate of 80 cents per day. Pay Your Way members make no deposits with Flint and they do not receive a monthly billing statement. Instead, those members pay in advance for electricity online, on their smart phone, in an office, at a payment kiosk, or at a remote payment station on a schedule of their own choosing. There are no deposits, no late fees and no disconnect charges with Pay Your Way.

OPTION FOR LOW INCOME

Members who receive a Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) check to help them pay for electricity can be placed on Flint’s low-income rate. After Apr. 1, members that confirm their LIHEAP standing with a check payment will be eligible for a reduced base service charge of $12 instead of $24 per month. LIHEAP is administered by the local Community Action Agencies.

Members can reduce the effects of the rate increase on their electric bill through these simple tasks:

1) Conduct an online energy audit at www.flintenergies.com. Click on the Home Energy Calculator link to fill out a simple form to calculate your energy usage.  By conducting the online energy audit, you can make small changes in your energy consumption to reduce the amount of your electric bill.  In addition, you can receive energy saving tips via the Flint website.

2) Reducing your electric bill is as simple as changing a light bulb. For example, if you replace your five most frequently used light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) or LED’s, you could save approximately $60 a year in energy costs.