Membership Fee
Each member-owner contributes a $25 membership fee, which is fully refundable when you leave the system.
Account Initiation Charge
A $20 connect fee is made for processing an application and initiating new service – whether it’s at a location that already has service, or a new home, office or building.
Security Deposit
You may be required to make a deposit before we turn your power on if your credit does not meet the cooperative’s requirements. If you wish, we can perform a utility credit check which may result in that deposit being waived.
Delinquent Accounts
A 5% late fee will be added to your account for each delinquent bill not paid by the due date.
Trip Fee
Anytime you request a Tri-County Electric Co-op employee to visit your property for a standard operating practice – connection, reconnection or investigating a report – may result in a charge of $50 during regular working hours or $80 after hours. There is no charge when we’re investigating or restoring an outage.
Service Charges
- After hours reconnection: $50.00 connection fee plus the $80.00 trip charge
- Disconnect for nonpayment: $20.00
- Reconnect for nonpayment: $20.00
Meter Tampering
Tampering with your meter, or any other equipment owned by Tri-County Electric Co-op, is not only dangerous – it’s against the law. If someone is found to have gained unauthorized access to meters or the equipment that supplies power, we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.
When meter tampering, equipment tampering or trespassing to gain access to Tri-County Electric Co-op owned equipment or easements is suspected or found, the member will be charged a $2,500 tampering fee and charged all costs associated with replacing or repairing damaged electrical equipment and other direct costs of restoring electrical service, as stated in our Service Fee tariff.
Meter Test Fee
Tri-County Electric Cooperative meters are set to operate within accuracy standards set by the American National Standards Institutes, Inc. (ANSI). If you ask the co-op to test your meter for accuracy and it falls within the ANSI standards, you may be charged a meter test fee according to our Service Fee tariff. The standard minimum fee is $250, but should not exceed $500 for a residential meter.
Returned Check
If your check is not honored, we will charge a $25 returned-check fee, and if you have two or more returned checks in 12-month period, you may be required to pay your bill in cash, money order or certified check.