Levelized billing

What is levelized billing?
Levelized billing is a free program offered to CCEC members designed to help lessen the impact of higher seasonal electric bills. This billing system uses software that takes a rolling average of your electrical bill from month to month to create a payment that stays relatively consistent each month, regardless of how much energy you use. This type of billing is an excellent option for homeowners who use electric heat, members on a fixed income, or people who want to know what to expect from their electric bill each month.

This program does not reduce your overall electric bills but instead spreads your payments out to create a more regular billing amount. In the cold winter or hot summer months, when you tend to use more electricity, levelized billing can help keep the monthly bills within a stable range to help you better manage your money. There is no minimum amount of time that you must have been receiving service at an address to get started with levelized billing. This program can begin as soon as the month after you get set up.

Do I have to pay to enroll?
No. Levelized billing is a free program. It does not reduce or add anything to your bill.

How much is my bill going to vary each month?
If you are just starting out in the levelized billing program, you might find that your bill will vary slightly in the first couple of months that you use it. Once you have been enrolled in the program for a year or longer, your energy bill evens or “levels out” month to month. Typically, if you have variation in your bill, you’ll find that it goes up or down in $5-$10 increments.

When can I start levelized billing?
Anytime! There are no requirements to enroll in levelized billing.

Why does my bill say I used less electricity than I paid for?
With levelized billing, you pay an average of your overall energy usage. So, when it’s springtime, and you aren’t using a lot of energy, you will probably have to pay more than what you’ve used. This is so that when the cold North Dakota winter hits and you have to heat your house and use a lot more electricity, you get to pay less than what you used. The levelized billing program helps to make your payments more consistent. Rather than having the seasonal variation in your electric bill, you’ll have a consistent payment regardless of how much energy you use.

Who should enroll in levelized billing?
Levelized billing is an excellent option for a homeowner who uses electric heat in the winters, members on a fixed income, or anyone who would like to know what to expect from their electric bill every month.

How do I unenroll in levelized billing?
Tried levelized billing and decided it’s not for you? That’s fine! Call member services at 701-356-4400 or email info@kwh.com and ask to stop the levelized billing program. Depending on when you stop service, you may have a balance or a credit leftover that will be added to your next month’s bill. After your account balance returns to zero, your regular electric bills without levelized billing will resume.

If you think levelized billing sounds right for you, contact us at 701-356-4400 or info@kwh.com to get enrolled in the program.