Seeking Customer Input on Miscellaneous Service Fees
At Burlington Electric Department (BED), we assess various Miscellaneous Fees pursuant to a tariff approved by the Public Utility Commission (PUC). Examples of these fees include:
- Initial service fee, charged when BED places service in a customer’s name at a service location;
- Reconnection fee, charged when BED restores electric service to a customer who has been disconnected for nonpayment after multiple reminders;
- Returned check fee, charged when the bank does not honor a payment by check; and
- Customer assistance call fee, charged when a customer requests BED staff to visit a service location and BED determines the issue to be the customer’s responsibility.
Our current Miscellaneous Fees have been in place since July 1, 2010, having been set based on costs in fiscal year 2009 (FY09). This cost basis pre-dated BED’s deployment of our advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), or smart meters.
To serve you better, we recently have analyzed our business processes for all services associated with Miscellaneous Fees, including how our smart meters streamline our processes in certain instances. We also reviewed and updated all BED time and staff involvement with each service and applied updated labor and labor overhead rates. Finally, we made updates in accordance with provisions of our contract with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
The results of our analyses have led to both proposed fee decreases and increases. For example, BED’s analysis shows that performing initial service for a returning BED customer costs approximately $6 and for a first-time BED customer approximately $15, whereas the initial service fee currently is $30. One example of a proposed fee increase is for returned checks, where our analysis shows that costs have increased from $10 to $28, based on increased bank fees.
We invite our customers to review our proposed updated Miscellaneous Service fees (see below) and to provide feedback through the form below. Also, you are welcome to attend the Burlington Electric Commission (BEC) meeting on Wednesday, March 13 at 5:30pm at 585 Pine Street, to share comments during public forum.
Proposed Fee Changes
|
Fees |
Description |
Current rates as of 7/1/10 |
Proposed Fee 2/14/24 |
Notes |
|
Initial Service Fee |
Charged to returning customers, including for standing orders, whenever the electric service is put in that customer’s name at a service location |
$30.00 |
$6.00 |
No distinction currently between new and returning customers |
|
Initial Service Fee |
Charged to a customer new to BED’s service territory whenever the electric service is put in that customer’s name at a service location |
$30.00 |
$15.00 |
No distinction currently between new and returning customers |
|
Initial Service Fee |
Charged whenever BED personnel are called in to work during non-working hours to respond to a customer request for initial service |
$195.00 |
$72.00 |
No change to current practice |
|
Reconnection |
Charged to restore service to a customer; this fee will be charged instead of the initial service fee when reconnection accompanies a request for service. |
$20.00 |
$26.00 |
Fee currently is charged only to restore service to a customer who has been disconnected for non-payment |
|
Reconnection |
Charged whenever BED personnel are called in to work during non-working hours for the purpose of responding to a customer request for reconnection |
$95.00 |
$93.00 |
Fee currently is charged only to restore service to a customer who has been disconnected for non-payment |
|
Temporary Service |
Normally for construction purposes; charged when temporary service of single phase, 240 volt, 100 amp characteristics or less is installed at a site |
$535.00 |
$841.00 |
No change from current practice |
|
Returned Checks |
Charged each time a check or ACH/electronic payment is not honored by the bank |
$10.00 |
$28.00 |
Fee currently is charged only for returned checks |
|
Meter Removal/ |
Charged for removal and replacement of up to two meters at a service location for purpose of installing siding materials on a building |
$95.00 |
$136.00 |
No change from current practice |
|
Collections |
Recommend eliminating fee and charging only for reconnects |
$20.00 |
n/a |
Fee currently is charged when BED personnel collects funds at a customer’s service location. |
|
Customer Assistance Call |
Charged whenever BED personnel are requested to visit a customer’s service location and the problem is determined to be the customer’s responsibility |
$28.00 |
$86.00 |
No change from current practice |
|
Customer Assistance Call |
Charged whenever BED personnel are called in to work during non-working hours for the purpose of responding to a customer request for assistance and the problem is determined to be customer’s responsibility |
$195.00 |
$472.00 |
No change from current practice |
Feedback
With your input and our further review, we plan to finalize our proposed fees and ask the BEC to vote on them at their March 13 meeting. Thereafter, we will take our proposals to the City Council and then to the PUC. Community members will have opportunities to comment on the proposals during consideration by both governing bodies.
Thank you for helping us serve you even better