The Budget Billing Plan (the “Plan”) allows you to pay your electric bill with a scheduled amount each month. Your payment amount is calculated by taking your estimated yearly consumption and dividing it by twelve to calculate an average monthly amount.
To be eligible for the Plan:
- Be classified as a residential customer (all other entities are not eligible for this program)
- Have a good payment history for at least 12-months prior to enrollment.
- Make a timely monthly payment for the Total Amount Due listed on your bill. Paying over or under the monthly Total Amount Due on your bill will disqualify you from the Plan.
- Failing to pay your monthly bill on time, will disqualify you from the Plan.
- You must not have a Pay Plan or Payment Arrangement with EPE at the time of enrollment.
While on the Plan, you are still obligated to pay for your actual consumption. EPE will review the monthly budget billing amount periodically to determine if the amount should be adjusted due to a change in consumption patterns. The amount may be increased or decreased depending on consumption. If a change takes place, a message on your bill will appear letting you know there’s been a change to your Plan.
While on the Plan, your account balance will accumulate either a credit or debit balance depending on your 12-month consumption pattern, this balance will be displayed on your bill as an outstanding account balance. If you disconnect service while on the Plan, your final bill amount will include the outstanding account balance.
If you have a debit balance, meaning your monthly payments were less than your consumption, a final payment will be required to cover this balance. If you have a credit balance, meaning that your monthly payments exceeded your consumption, a refund will be issued to you after covering all outstanding balances with EPE.
EPE reserves the right to collect a deposit from you at the time you elect to enter the Plan. The amount of the deposit will not exceed one-sixth (two months) of the estimated annual billing. EPE may keep this deposit for as long as you remain on the Plan. EPE will continue to pay interest on the deposit at an annual rate as established by the Commission.
Should you fail to meet eligibility criteria while on the Plan, you will be removed from the Plan and there is a 12-month waiting period to re-enroll.
To sign up for Budget Billing, login to your account here.
For more information please contact EPE in Texas at (915) 543-5970, in New Mexico at (575) 526-5555, toll free at 1-800-351-1621 or our Customer Service Department.