To be eligible for DCEC’s budget billing plan members must:
- Be a Residential Service Class – 1 (SC-1) member or Residential Service Class – 2 (SC-2) member
- Have 12 months of usage
There are two different types of budget plans available to members:
- Members may sign up for the FIXED budget plan in June and the FIXED budget billing begins in July. For the FIXED budget plan, one-twelfth of the annual estimated net billing will be billed for each of eleven months, July through May. In June, which is the twelfth month of the budget year, the billed amount is adjusted such that the total amount paid for the budget year is equal to the amount calculated based on actual usage. The amount billed in the twelfth month (June) may be higher or lower than the other eleven months such that the total paid for the year matches actual usage. If a member participating in the FIXED budget plan is late with their monthly payment three (3) times in a 12-month period, the Cooperative will require that the budget plan be discontinued for that member. Upon being removed from the budget plan, a member is responsible to pay any remaining past due amount and past due amounts are subject to collection in accordance with the Cooperative’s Disconnects Policy.
- Members may sign up for the VARIABLE budget plan in any month. For the VARIABLE budget plan, the monthly amount due is the average of the previous twelve (12) months of actual usage. As a result, the monthly amount due will vary. However, the averaging of twelve months of actual usage tends to drastically reduce seasonal variations of the monthly bill amount. If a member participating in the VARIABLE budget plan is late with their monthly payment three (3) times in a 12-month period, the Cooperative will require that the budget plan be discontinued for that member. Upon being removed from the budget plan, a member is responsible to pay any remaining past due amount and past due amounts are subject to collection in accordance with the Cooperative’s Disconnects Policy.