- Can I sign up for automatic payment, Auto-Pay, on ePayment?
Yes, the Automatic Payment (Auto-Pay) through
eCheck accounts or credit cards is an easy way to
pay your utility bills. No stamps, no envelopes, no fuss.
If you have been thinking about paying your utility bills automatically, now is the
time to see how easy and convenient Automatic Payment (Auto-Pay) can be.
Once your account or
accounts, is established for automatic
payment, your payments are automatically debited from your
checking account or your
credit card
between the 1st and 28th day of the month that you specify.
You can also
set a payment limit and an ending date (when the automatic payment should stop).
When an auto-pay account with an amount due is found, the payment is processed and a
notification regarding your payment or auto-pay account or accounts is sent to you by e-mail.
There is also a Bank Draft program. With our Bank Draft
program your account will be drafted each month and you can also sign-up for
ePayment to view your bill.
Note: Bank Draft customers should NOT pay their bills online. They may subject themselves to double payments.
- I have three account numbers. Can I access all of my accounts that have the same member number?
Yes, just put in your member number and password and you will be able to access all of your accounts that contain that member number.
- Can another family member access my member number online?
If you give access to your member number and password, they will be able to access your account.
- Can I associate different member numbers with my account?
No, not at this time. Each member will have to access ePayment with his member number; however, you may use the same password. Each member will be given a password for his account. Once you log into the ePayment system you will be able to change your password.
- What type of payments can I use with ePayment?
A customer can use
eCheck, credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express), or Bank Draft which is drafted from a checking or savings account.
- How can I sign up for ePayment?
Call our Contact Center, Monday - Friday between 8am - 5pm, or
to signup. You will receive your account number and password
to access our online ePayment program.
Hilton Head 843-681-5551
New River 843-208-5551
Ridgeland 843-726-5551
Hampton 803-943-2211
or 1-800-922-5551
- If I want to be removed from ePayment, what do I do?
A customer must call the Contact Center or
to be removed from ePayment.
Hilton Head 843-681-5551
New River 843-208-5551
Ridgeland 843-726-5551
Hampton 803-943-2211
or 1-800-922-5551
- Why haven't I received ePayment notification?
If you are not receiving your ePayment notification e-mail,
this may be due to stricter security settings being inplemented
by e-mail service providers and e-mail client programs.
Many e-mail programs (Hargray's-Postini, Outlook, Outlook
Express, AOL, GroupWise, Lotus Notes, Eudora, etc.) have flexible
security settings and filters. These options may be adjusted
so that e-mail from specific addresses is allowed through
- such as e-mail from Palmetto Electric's ePayment address,
epayment@palmetto.coop. If you believe e-mail from this address
is being blocked, please see the “Help” section
of your e-mail program to determine how to change your settings.
If this does not alleviate your problem, please check with
your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Your ISP may have instituted
system-wide restrictions that are not allowing e-mail from
this address through.
- Can I use a different pdf viewer than Adobe Reader to view my bill?
No, currently Adobe Reader is the only pdf viewer than can access the bill file.
Click the Adobe Reader icon to download the free viewer.
- What do I do if my ePayment notification link doesn't work?
Clear your browser's cache. If that does not work you may try copying and pasting the link into your browser.
- How does Levelized Billing work?
Levelized Billing makes your electric bills nearly predictable. Under Levelized Billing, each monthly bill is the rolling average of your electric usage for the most recent 12 months, including the current bill.
Your electric bill will change only slightly from month to month, and the 12-month rolling average guards against drastic changes in your bill, even during the coldest and hottest months.
The only time you have to reconcile your account is when you leave the Palmetto Electric system or when you decide you no longer want to participate in the Levelized Billing Plan.
- How much does it cost to participate?
Levelized Billing is a free service. There are no sign-up charges or monthly fees. All you need to do is keep your account current by paying the Levelized Amount Due on each monthly bill.
Members who wish to be enrolled in Levelized Billing must meet the following requirements:
- The program is only available to residential accounts.
- You must be a co-op member for at least 12 months at the same service location.
- You must have an acceptable credit history.
- The account balance must be zero to enter the program.
- Payment is due by the due date printed on the bill. The account will automatically change to a regular residential account if failure to pay the Levelized Amount Due when the next bill is printed. To re-activate Levelized Billing, you must have a zero balance.
- Why was I removed from Levelized Billing?
To keep an active levelized account you must pay the Levelized Amount Due in full for each monthly billing statement. Failure to pay the Levelized Amount Due in full will result in removal from Levelized billing.
Palmetto Electric reserves the right to remove a members account from Levelized Billing if a member does not meet the payment requirements. If the agreement is canceled all balances or credits are due.
- Why does my electric bill vary so much from month to month?
When a bill amount is higher than usual, naturally it arouses your curiosity. Electrical costs will vary with seasonal use — more electricity is used during the summer and winter than in the fall and spring.
Increased electrical usage will fluctuate due to air conditioners, fans, dehumidifiers, hot water heating, home heating, and home entertaining during the holidays.
Weather plays an important role in your monthly bill. Seasonal heating or cooling your home as well as snow, sun, wind and other weather related factors affect your billing costs. Have your heating and cooling systems periodically checked by a certified technician to ensure they are properly working. Malfunctioning systems can cause noticeable changes to your electric bill.
We use a cycle system to efficiently read meters throughout our territory about the same date each month. After we read your meter we bill your account a few days later. This schedule allows us to deal with severe weather or unforeseen events that may affect our meter reading. With the possibility of fluctuating read dates, it is best to choose a payment date about a week later than your normal bill date. If the energy usage is greater than normal, check your bills for days of service.
- What is a kilowatt or kilowatt-hour (kWh)?
Before we see how much electricity costs, we have to understand how it's measured. When you buy gas they charge you by the gallon. When you buy electricity you are charged the kilowatt-hour (kWh). When you use 1000 watts for 1 hour, that's a kilowatt-hour. To change watts to kilowatts, divide wattage by 1000. An electric meter measures both the kilowatts and the time in hours the electricity is being used. The final billing unit is the product of the two measures and this is called a "kilowatt-hour" (kWh).
An example to measure electricity for a 100-watt light bulb that is on for 10 hours:
100 watts ÷ 1000 = 0.10 kilowatts
.10 kilowatts × 10 hours = 1 kilowatt hour or 1 kWh
- If I am temporarily unable to pay my electric bill, what should I do?
- I paid my previous bill before the due date, why do I have a Late Payment Fee charge on my current bill?
If you do not pay the full amount due on your billing statement, a Late Payment Fee charge will appear on your next month's bill.
- What is the Franchise Fee charge on my bill?
The Franchise Fee charge on your bill is a Utility Franchise Agreement between a municipality and a respective utility, Palmetto Electric Cooperative. The Franchise Fee, charged by the municipality, allows a utility to operate within a municipality. The funds are collected by the respective municipality indicated on your bill.
- I received my final bill and am receiving a credit. How soon should I receive my check?
If your final bill from Palmetto Electric indicates a credit balance, you should receive that balance within the next billing cycle. Upon closing your account you should have updated your phone and mailing information so we can send you your refund check and for any future
Capital Credit checks you may be entitled to receive.
- What is the Trip Fee charge on my bill?
The Trip Charge is applied to your account if a collection related trip is made to your residence/business.
- What is involved with reconnecting a meter?
If an account is disconnected for non-payment, the past due balance, plus a reconnect fee must be paid before the service will be reconnected. For reconnections on weekends and after normal business hours, an additional fee will be charged. Deposits are required on all services unless waived, according to board policy. The Cooperative reserves the right to require deposits if the member's account is in arrears or if their credit record necessitates.
