Prepaid

Prepaid Service is a payment choice for our members and is totally voluntary, allowing members to make payments into their account to cover the cost of future energy usage.

Prepaid Service is available to members on the Farm and Home Service Rate (Schedule A) with 200 amp or less service.

It is not available if the member…

• is enrolled in Net Metering (ie: if they have renewable energy equipment connected to the CVEC system).
• is enrolled and wishes to remain in the Levelized Billing Program.
• has a Serious Medical Condition Certificate filed with CVEC.
• has terminated the same Prepaid Service within the last 12 months.
• is utilizing and wishes to continue automatic draft payments.

All Prepaid Services shall have a month-to-month contract, automatically renewing and continuing, unless canceled by the member.

• If the account is existing, a member must request transfer to Prepaid Service, pay the full amount due on the existing account, and establish a minimum balance of $50 in the new service.
• If the account is new, in addition to the $50 minimum payment, the member must also pay the standard Service Connection Fee.

• If a new account is being opened, no deposit or credit check is required.
• If an old account is being converted to Prepaid Service and a deposit was made on the original account, a refund will be given to the member or he/she may choose to apply it to the amount due or to the new Prepaid Service.

Each member’s meter is read daily and, after each reading, the appropriate daily charges are calculated and a debit is applied to the Prepaid Service account balance. The payment calculation combines the following to determine the cost of the electric service used by the member:

• Energy charges
• Distribution charges
• Metering and billing
• Basic service charge
• Power cost adjustment
• Applicable taxes
• Other applicable charges

Charges and rates will be the very same as for members on a traditional Farm and Home Service (Schedule A).

Between monthly billings, a Prepaid Service will be billed on a daily basis using the actual daily meter readings and Rate Schedule A. Fixed charges that are billed monthly, including Metering and Billing and the Basic Service Charge, along with the fixed or minimum portion of any local taxes, will be billed daily at 1/30 of the monthly charge. Fixed charges associated with Security Lights (CVEC Rate Schedule SHL) will also be billed daily at 1/30 of the monthly rate.

Each billing cycle, CVEC will reconcile all charges for that billing period (more or less than 30 days).

No bill for service is mailed to a member opting for Prepaid Service. The member is responsible for monitoring his/her account to ensure that the balance does not reach $0, which would cause suspension of service.

The balance can be monitored:

• Anytime online at the Cooperative’s website through the CVEC Account Portal
• By speaking with a Member Services Representative, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weekdays, (800) 367-2832
• By calling the Cooperative’s toll-free number and utilizing the automated account info system, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• By visiting the payment kiosk, located at each division office

The rate for service will be the very same as the current Farm and Home Service Rate (Schedule A) offered by CVEC. As of October 2023, they are as follows:

Recurring Charges

All charges are also subject to the Power Cost Adjustment Rider (filed under Schedule C), as well as applicable taxes.

A member can pay for this service with all of the same methods used to pay for all CVEC services with the exception of Automatic Bank Draft. So, money can be paid into the account ...

• By cash, check, or credit/debit card at one of the CVEC kiosks
• With check or debit/credit card by phone or online

Note: Each payment into the account must be a minimum of $25.

CVEC will provide notification by a means pre-arranged with each member (email, or text) when the account balance drops below $25 (or a higher amount set by the member). The member may also choose to have a third party notified.

When the cost of service equals or exceeds the balance in a member’s Prepaid Service account, electric service will be suspended. (We only suspend service Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. CVEC service is not suspended on weekends, holidays, or severe weather days.)

Electric service will resume within 3 hours after CVEC receives a payment that establishes a positive balance. Automatic reconnection should be made within 15 minutes of payment. If re-connection does not occur within 15 minutes, please call CVEC at (800) 367-2832. No disconnect or reconnect fees will be charged.

If no payment is made to the account for 30 days, CVEC will consider it inactive and will send a final bill for any outstanding amount due the Co-op. Daily prorated fixed charges will continue to be applied to the account until it becomes inactive.

Whenever a payment to the Prepaid Service is returned by a bank for insufficient funds, inaccurate bank information, or a stop-payment action, CVEC will adjust the account balance appropriately and apply the Returned Check Fee. If this action reduces the balance to zero or a negative amount, the member’s service will be suspended.

Products and services other than electric service purchased from CVEC cannot be included in the billing of the Prepaid Service and must be billed under a separate service.

Members eligible for Seasonal Energy Assistance from the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) will receive that benefit in the same fashion as credit-billed members, as a one-time, seasonal service deposit by VDSS. Those funds deposited in the member account can be used until depleted. CVEC will return any unused funds to VDSS at the end of the season.

Those eligible for Crisis Assistance will present a notice from CVEC to VDSS demonstrating that their account balance has reached $25 or the depletion of their account funds is projected to occur within 5 days. VDSS will recognize this as an impending crisis and then calculate a Crisis Assistance benefit to provide additional energy for a projected number of days, comparable to the benefit calculation process utilized for energy vendors that deliver fuel to and store fuel on the benefit recipient’s property.

VDSS will accept a printed or electronic notice issued by CVEC. The member can print out an e-mail by visiting the member account portal.

The member must contact CVEC and ask to cancel the Prepaid Service. If there is a credit in the balance, it will be returned to the member. If there is a debit balance (if more electricity has been used than there was money in the account to cover), the member will be responsible for covering the deficit. No late fees will be applied to any debit balance. The member will not be eligible to go back on a Prepaid Service for 12 months from cancellation.

If a member cancels Prepaid Service, a security deposit may be required to establish a regular account.

Note: It is the member’s responsibility to monitor the balance in the account to avoid suspension of service.