In order to best serve our membership, we have three billing options.
Each month, CHEC will send you a bill. You will receive your bill on the same date each month, depending on the location of your electric service. The amount of your bill is determined by a monthly meter reading taken from your meter. The date that CHEC reads your meter will vary no more than a few days during a month to allow for holidays.
Your bill is due and payable 20 days from the bill date shown on your statement to avoid a late charge of 2% or $5.00, whichever is greater. Failure to pay your bill within 18 days of its due date, could result in the disconnection of service.
Members can opt to receive a traditional paper bill in the mail each month, or receive an electronic copy or e-bill to their email address.
Budget billing is another value-added service that we are pleased to offer to our members. To qualify, you must have 12 months prior service in your name, with good payment history at the location of the account requesting budget billing.
Customers who subscribe and qualify for the program, will receive a bill for the same amount for the next twelve months. Each month your bill will itemize your actual usage, the budget bill payment amount and your actual electric balance due.
After 12 months, your active budget billing account is analyzed and the shortage or overpayment is taken into account and spread over the budget billing monthly amount for the next 12 months.
Should you decide to terminate the budget billing option and return to standard billing, you may do so by calling our office. Any excess payments will be applied to your existing electric account or bill shortages will be collected at the time you return to standard billing. If your summer or winter bills are much higher than other months, budget billing may help relieve the strain on your checkbook during these times.
Other terms and conditions apply for budget billing qualification. Please call our office at (252) 995-5616 or email billing@chec.coop, if you would like us to calculate your budget billing estimate.
CHEC offers prepaid metering allowing you to pay when you want in the amount that you want.
Food, gas and even cell phone minutes, are all things that we pay for before we use them. Why not pay for electricity before you use it? Prepaying can offer a good solution for members who move frequently, own a rental property, are in college or the military, or who are facing financial difficulties.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I have to pay a deposit with a prepaid account?
No. There is never a deposit required with prepaid metering; however there is a $50 prepayment required for initial service that will be applied as a credit toward future energy use. If you are already a Cape Hatteras Electric member who has paid a deposit, it will be directly applied to your account.
Will I still receive a bill each month?
No. Instead of receiving a traditional paper bill, usage is calculated daily and you purchase electricity as you need it using cash, check, debit or credit card. Payments, usage, charges and prepay balances will be available under Member Center/My Account or by calling the office during normal business hours. Account balance updates can be received daily via email or text.
How do I know when my balance is getting low?
Low balance alerts and notifications are available via email or text message, or online under Member Center/My Account.
What happens if my balance reaches zero?
Your electricity will be subject to immediate disconnection any time the account does not have a credit balance. To restore your power, you must purchase more energy. Payments can be made in any amount, however if the service is disconnected due to a credit deficit, a payment of the outstanding balance plus a minimum prepayment of $25 must be paid before service will be restored.
How much money should I keep on my prepaid account?
That is entirely up to you! That is one of the benefits of prepaid metering. You can create the program that fits your budget and make purchases on your own timetable. You can purchase enough electricity to last a week, a month or more!
Will I lose my capital credits?
No. With a prepaid account, you are still a Cape Hatteras Electric member. You still accumulate capital credits based on the amount of electricity you purchase and receive your portion of capital credit funds that are retired over time.
How do I know if prepaid metering is right for me?
If it is easier to make daily or weekly payments rather than one large monthly payment, a prepaid account might be right for you. Statistics indicated that prepaid metering programs often help to lower consumption due to members' awareness of usage patterns. You will notice patterns in your daily usage that can help keep electric costs down. Setting a payment schedule also helps you control your budget.
If you are interested in monitoring and lowering your electricity use, you may potentially benefit from a prepaid account. Call our office at (252)995-5616 for more information.