NEW MEMBERS

We welcome you as a member of West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation in Mayfield,

West KY RECC is a membership cooperative, serving Calloway, Carlisle, Graves, Marshall and small portions of Hickman and Livingston counties.

The Mayfield RECC office is located at 1218 West Broadway, with branch offices in Murray and Benton. To contact the main office, use the following numbers:

247-1321 or 1-877-4-WKRECC

Your calls will be answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

BILLING INFORMATION

Your meter is read approximately the same time each month. The statement you receive will state the number of days of service, kilowatt hour usage, the amount and the date your particular bill is due. Payment after the stated date will result in the addition of a 5% "late charge". After the due date, the bill is considered to be delinquent and you will receive a notice stating the amount and the date by which it must be paid to avoid disconnection. An after-hour depository is provided at the main office in Mayfield and at the collection offices in Benton and Murray for making payments after regular office hours. Calloway County residents may use the night depository of the Union Planters - University Branch.  Regarding taxes on your electric service, members receiving service in Calloway, Carlisle, Graves and Hickman Counties pay a utility (school) tax on their electric bills in the amount of 3% of the bill. Marshall County tax is 3%.

MEMBERSHIP

A membership fee of $5.00 is required in order to receive service from the Cooperative. This fee can be applied to your final bill when service is terminated. If you relocated within the West KY RECC area, this fee may be transferred to the new account. The Annual Members meeting is held on the 2nd Saturday in July each year for the election of the Board of Directors and other Cooperative business according to Bylaw Requirements. Dates and places are well publicized.

DEPOSIT (Residential)  

It is a policy of the Cooperative, established by the Board of Directors, that a $125.00 deposit be required on all rental property or service to mobile homes, (where the mobile home or land on which it sits are not owned by the ratepayer). This deposit is refund- able after service is terminated and all bills have been paid.

DEPOSIT [Commercial)

The deposit on all non-residential services is based on previous occupants kilowatts usage, or if it is a new installation, on an estimated usage. The amount required is the amount sufficient to cover a 2-month average bill during the past 12 months, or 12 months of normal service.

RECONNECTION FEE

A service charge or reconnection fee of $15.00 during office hours ($40 after office hours) is made for each trip to reconnect a service. This fee is neither transferable nor refundable. A reconnection fee of $15 is required for an outdoor light.

DELINQUENT NOTICES

Delinquent notices are not mailed. Disconnect information is in your regular monthly statement.

RATES

West KY RECC purchases its power from Tennessee Valley Authority and distributes it to your home, farm or business through a network of over 3700 miles of power lines to serve over 36,000 meters.

Electric cooperatives in Kentucky do not set their own rates. This simple fact is not realized by many RECC members. The Kentucky Public Service Commission regulates the rates of all RECC's not served by TVA. Cooperatives served by TVA, as is West KY RECC, are required to abide by the regulations of that organization.

After hours of audits, reviews and research, TVA officially makes its decision and approves only what it deems to be absolutely necessary. West KY RECC has a residential and non-residential rate structure. The rate may change to allow for inflation when absolutely necessary. Your cooperative is conscious of how higher rates affect its members and only request an amount it feels it must have to provide dependable service and still remain financially sound.

A copy of the rate schedule may be obtained upon request at your West KY RECC office.

BATTLING POWER THEFT

Most utility members are unaware of       electric power theft, but the estimated annual cost of electricity theft ranges from $1.7 billion to $4 billion. Thus, on a national average each of the 100 million utility consumers in the United States pays from $17 to $40 annually to offset losses due to theft-by less than 1% of the consumers. Since the cost of electricity lost to thieves is passed on to honest consumers, it is not only the utilities right to investigate and pursue this problem, it is an obligation. When one person on the system steals electricity all the other members pay for it. West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation is investigating possible theft and if caught, the thieves will be required to reimburse the Cooperative for its loss and could possibly go to jail. Members need to understand the potential impact of power theft on the cost of electricity, but also the dangers involved with the many methods used to steal. Some utility thieves have been electrocuted and others have started fires with deadly results.

Many utilities are taking the position that everyone caught stealing electricity will be charged with theft in criminal court, rather than allowed simply to reimburse the utility for the loss. Not prosecuting power thieves was compared to letting a bank robber go because he returned the stolen money. Simply stated, it is honest consumers who end up paying for stolen electricity.

BUDGET BILLING

West KY RECC provides a "Budget Billing" plan for any member who has lived at their present location for 12 months, and wishes to receive his monthly electric bills spread evenly over a twelve month period.

The cooperative will determine the monthly amount by dividing the previous twelve months usage by 12; then multiplying that amount by 110%. This calculated amount is rounded up to the next even dollar amount. This calculation is done for each service received (electric and outdoor lighting). Any loan repayment amount that might be on the billing is added directly to the Budget Billing amount.

Members desiring to be billed under the Budget Billing plan, may enter into the plan between April 15 and May 15, of each year. For additional information, contact your West KY RECC office.