BILLING

What are my choices when it comes to energy services (Customer Choice)?
What are the options for submitting my meter read?
What is budget billing and how do I sign up?
How can I disconnect/connect my service?
How do I pay my bill?
How do I read my bill?
How do I read my meter?
What are my billing options?

What are my choices when it comes to energy services (Customer Choice)?

The same options for energy supply are available to you that you have had over the past number of years. These are listed below for your review and consideration.

Cooperative Energy Rate Contract: The member will have the REA supply energy under 6.1 RRR Regulation for 4 years commencing January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2014 according to the REA’s Terms and Conditions of Cooperative Energy Rate Service. The Terms and Conditions describe the application of stranded costs should your choice change during the 4 years and also describe any charge associated with you choosing this option in the future. The Terms and Conditions also describe renewal options.
Competitive (Contract) Retail Service: If you choose this option, you will purchase energy through a contract with a licensed competitive retailer who has registered with the REA. You may choose from a list of licensed competitive retailers: http://www.ucahelps.gov.ab.ca/. This option and choice does not become effective until the member has signed a contract with a licensed retailer of record.
Regulated Rate Service Option: You may choose to receive a regulated energy rate from the REA commencing January 1, 2011 under the Regulated Rate Option Regulation. You understand that your energy rate may fluctuate every month and that this RRO Rate will necessarily include premiums to account for volume risk, price risk, credit risk, settlement risk, unaccounted for energy and losses and other risks.

If you do not choose one of the 3 options your energy service option will be defaulted to the government Regulated Rate at the end of the current Contract. Defaulting to the government Regulated Rate is a requirement of the government in the absence of a consumer exercising choice of electricity supply.

We will be purchasing energy further out than January 1, 2011 and without your consent we cannot purchase energy for you. We are not currently contemplating any changes to the current energy rate which is listed in the contract, and which is the same rate as you are currently paying under 6.1 Energy Rate Service.

What are the options for submitting my meter read?

By mail. Please allow time for mailing.
By dropping off reading at our office.
For your convenience, we have an after-hours drop off.
Fax.
Email or submit via our website.
Telephone in your meter reading 24 hours per day.
Local Bank: Confirm with the bank that your meter card will be submitted to the Central Alberta REA Ltd. by the due date of the 25th.

What is budget billing and how do I sign up?

CAREA is pleased to offer the Budget Billing Program (BPP) to it’s members which averages your utility costs, based on the billing history at the service address, over a 12-month period so that you pay an equal amount each month. Once per year, in December, you will receive a “settle-up” bill in which your actual charges are compared to your payments. If you’ve paid more than your actual costs, your account will be credited. If you’ve paid less, that balance will be added to the payment amount due on your “settle-up” bill. During the year, following the semi-annual meter reading completed in May, if there is a significant difference in your utility consumption patterns due to usage or a rate change, the equal payment amount may be adjusted to prevent a large bill during the settle-up period.

On the Budget Billing Program, your budget amount will probably only change once per year following the “settle-up” billing completed in December of each year. Sometimes changes to your service will alter your consumption profiles. If your consumption changes to a great degree, your budget amount may be required to be recalculated. Members should contact the office to discuss these changes in consumption with your Member Services Representative.

If you are interested in being placed on the Budget Billing Program, please complete the Budget Billing form and return to our office. Please note that to be eligible for this program, you must have lived at the applicable service address for a minimum of 12 months.

How can I disconnect/connect my service?

If you have sold your property or are renting it out and wish to disconnect or connect the service please contact the CAREA office.

How do I pay my bill?

By mail. Please allow time for mailing.
By dropping off payment at our office. For your convenience, we have an after-hours drop off.
At any bank in Canada.
Telephone Banking.
Internet Banking.
Preauthorized Withdrawal - Please download the form here

How do I read my bill?

6.1 Co-operative Energy Provision (provided by Central Alberta REA) - This is the cost of electric energy you have used in a billing period. Your current rate includes: Energy and UFE (Unaccounted for Energy)/Line Loss Consumption @ 11% - Included in Energy Billed.

Regulated Rate Energy Provision (provided by Central Alberta REA) - This is the cost of electric energy you have used in a billing period. Your current rate includes: Energy and UFE (Unaccounted for Energy)/Line Loss Consumption @ 11% - Included in Energy Billed and Central Alberta REA’s risks margin. Risks covered by the risk margin include all volume risk including attrition and forecast risk, all price risk, and all credit risk.

Energy Administration Fee – This is the cost for administration of the members account.

Transmission – The cost of building, operating and maintaining the provincial power grid.

Rate Rider – A rider is a temporary credit or charge approved by the regulator.

Distribution – The cost of building, operating and maintaining the local distribution system. Your current distribution rate as a member of a locally owned distribution cooperative is a flat charge based on the breaker size. This is reflected in the service capacity charge on the front of the bill.

Tree Trimming – This charge will appear on your bill if you have chosen to continue to have the trees on your tap trimmed.

Loan – This is applied to your account if you have chosen to take a loan for a new service or if you have taken a loan for a service move or service transfer.

Adjustments – Miscellaneous adjustments are applied to your bill for the following reasons: deposit on account, used pole sales, NSF charge, and any charges/credits that are applied to your account.

Goods & Services Tax (GST) – the GST calculation is based on the total cost identified in your bill.

Click here to download an on-page breakdown of your CAREA bill.

How do I read my meter?

Meter Reading – When submitting your meter card to the office, mark each dial in its’ exact location. Do not mark the dials to the closest number or circle the number on the dials. If you have a digital meter, please document read on meter card exactly as it is shown. See example below.

Members are expected to read their meters between the 15^th and 25^th of each month, and submit their readings monthly to the REA by the due date on their bill. Meter readings read prior to the 15^th of the month will not be accepted, and/or meter readings received in our office after the 25^th of the month will not be accepted. Please see below for the various options to submit your monthly meter reading.
The date that the meter is read must be recorded on the return portion of the bill. If the read date is not entered on the submitted meter card, the meter reading is invalid.

If the REA does not receive a meter reading from you for two consecutive months, an REA representative will read your meter and you will be billed $44.00. Your Meter will be read twice a year at no charge, by a REA representative. What months during the year your meter will be read by the REA is dependent on which read group your location is in.. The REA reads all meters during these two time periods. Your bill will state what read group you are in and whether the current charges are based on an estimate of your consumption, or an actual meter reading.

What are my billing options?

E-mail billing
By mail