SAEC employee group photo

Billing Options

What if my prepay account runs low?

Prepay is a self-managed program.

  • You will receive a low balance notice by email or text message based on the notification preferences you set on your account (This will give you time to purchase power before the meter actually stops)
  • If you do not purchase more power, the meter will stop, and the power will turn off (Your power will be reconnected once a payment is made)

Arrears

If you don’t receive your daily text message, please immediately let us know.

  • When an account is in arrears (overdue payment), all payments made are split 70/30 with:
    • 70% applied as payment toward current usage
    • 30% covering arrears recapture
  • Accounts in the negative are turned off at 11 a.m. the next business day.

Final Bill

After 7 days of being off, your account will be final billed and you will need to contact customer service during normal business hours to re-establish electric service.

  • If your power is turned off, you have to pay any overage accumulated and bring the account to a $20 credit balance.
  • If you have an arrears recapture, you have to pay the 30% as well.

Example

Kilowatt usage to date: $6.59
Minimum balance required: $20
$11.40 is 30% applied to your arrears recapture balance

Regular pay

$6.59 + $20 = $26.59 to be reconnected.

Arrears Recapture Pay

$6.59 + $20 = $26.59 ÷ .7 = $37.99

How do I make payments?
  • In person (Payments can be made at our office location between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays)
  • Online (Payments can be made 24 hours a day at our website)
  • SAEC Connect Mobile App (Access information is provided when your account is established)
  • Via credit card (Credit and debit card payments can also be made over the telephone 24 hours a day by calling (877) 566-0611)
If I already have a traditional account, can I switch to prepay?
  • You can switch to a Prepay* account even if you already have service with South Alabama Electric Cooperative.
  • Your existing deposit will be applied to your current account balance, with any remaining amount being applied as a credit to your Prepay account.

*Some restrictions may apply.

How can I check my balance?

To get your up-to-the-minute account balance, you can:

Access information is provided when your account is established.

Prepay Account

When you set up your prepay account you must provide:

  • A current cell phone number
  • An email address

By providing this information you will be able to receive:

  • Updates on your daily balance
  • Email and text alerts
How do I make prepay work for me?

By monitoring your consumption on a regular basis, you will begin to notice patterns in your day-to-day use. Any variation from this pattern, such as a house guest or a vacation, will become evident as you monitor your account.

  • Prepay works best for people who want to take control of their electric account and energy use.
  • Monitoring and controlling daily usage can help keep your power costs down.
Will my electric service be different if I am on prepay?
  • You will have the same reliable electric service you have always had
  • Low balance and pending disconnect notifications will be sent prior to disconnect (You will know if you are experiencing a power outage or have just run out of money on your prepay account)
How much money should I keep in my prepay account?

That is entirely up to you! The choice is yours!

  • The beauty of the Prepay program is that it fits your budget.
  • You can buy enough energy to last until payday, or you can buy enough to last several months.

 

Will I pay a deposit for prepay?
  • Prepay members do not pay a deposit.
  • If you are currently on traditional billing, switching to the prepay program puts your deposit money to work for you now.