Effective on the bill you’ll receive in February (due in March), the Paulding Putnam Board of Directors approved a service charge adjustment due to rising costs. The monthly service charge will increase $3.50 (from $41.50 to $45). This change was necessary because our costs to provide you with electricity 24/7/365 are outpacing our revenues
Note: The service charge is a monthly flat fee to help cover the fixed costs of maintaining our electric distribution system (this is not related to fiber internet). The energy charge (based on the number of kilowatt-hours you use) will not change.
If you have questions or would like to find additional ways to save, please contact our office at 800-686-2357.
Why is an increase needed?
Our costs of doing business have increased substantially in the last several years. These new rates were recommended and approved by our Board of Trustees (composed of and elected by our members). Continuing without raising rates puts us at risk of having insufficient funds to invest in YOUR electric reliability.
We are a not-for-profit, member-owned organization, so any increase in revenue is reinvested solely in our system and office operations. Our electric system is valued at over $70 million and requires $4-5 million in yearly maintenance and upgrades. Since 2020, our average equipment costs have increased 40-60%.
What's Changing?
- The monthly service charge is increasing by $3.50 (from $41.50 to $45.00 per month).
- This covers the fixed costs Paulding Putnam has to ensure reliable power is available to you 24/7/365 through wires, poles, transformers, and other equipment, as well as maintenance, taxes, etc.
What's NOT Changing?
- The distribution energy charge (kWh charge)
- This is the cost to bring electricity from our substation to your home.
- The Generation and Transmission Charge
- This covers costs associated with producing electricity and moving it from a generation facility (like a power plant) to the distribution substation.
- Note: The PCA varies month to month and may continue increasing due to rising power generation and transmission costs. Members can help us manage this charge by joining our load management program and conserving energy during peak alerts.
- Note: The PCA varies month to month and may continue increasing due to rising power generation and transmission costs. Members can help us manage this charge by joining our load management program and conserving energy during peak alerts.
- This covers costs associated with producing electricity and moving it from a generation facility (like a power plant) to the distribution substation.
- Outdoor lights
Paulding Putnam residential members pay 12.9¢ per kWh. Even after the rate adjustment, this is still less than the average price in Ohio and Indiana.
Paulding Putnam residential members pay 12.9¢ per kWh. Even after the rate adjustment, this is still less than the average price in Ohio and Indiana.- This rate increase is still lower than what neighboring electric providers such as AEP and I&M have implemented in the last year again due to the rising costs of doing buisness.
- Our Wholesale Power Supply comes from Buckeye Power, a not-for-profit cooperative serving Ohio’s 24 distribution cooperatives. We own our own power-generating assets, instead of relying on an unpredictable market. And our fuel generating source is primarily coal – the most economical source.
- Shared services: We share marketing and communications employees, as well as energy advising and other services with area co-ops. Sharing these employees saves Paulding Putnam more than $30,000 a year!
- Competitive bid process for tree trimming, pole testing, and other major projects.
- Load Control - Water heater and air conditioner control switches and commercial account off-peak programs help us save thousands in avoided demand charges. Members also keep rates down when they conserve energy during peak alerts.
- Grassroots Lobbying - many examples of fighting for fair legislation and regulations.
- Outsourcing
- Just a few examples include Billing and Member Information software, as well as dispatching after-hours. This is why we also have an automated phone line to handle bill payments, outages, etc.
- Purchasing – Our transformers, conductors, etc. are mostly purchased from not-for-profit cooperative-owned supply companies. This keeps costs low. We also have a dedicated warehouse employee who researches the best prices and monitors market conditions to pre-buy when possible.
- We partner with a non-profit insurance provider for employee benefits. Through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), they do not receive commissions, pay taxes, etc. compared to other insurance companies that pay margins and need to increase rates to increase their bottom dollar. We are solely paying for coverage and getting the best price.
- Electronic and digital efficiencies provide greater member convenience and reduce employee costs.
- Over 70% of our members pay electronically or automatically, and 20% are enrolled in paperless billing, saving us mail and paper costs.
- Energy library, online energy audits and calculators
- Payment processing – scans and uploads member payments rather than manual processing.
- Office and field technologies and work processes are almost all electronic or automated
- Our SmartHub site provides our members access to everything they need regarding the self-management of their accounts.
We have several free programs and tools to help you control your electric use. Feel free to call us for details, questions, or personalized advice.
- Take advantage of our rebates for energy-efficient upgrades.
- We provide free home energy audits – over the phone, in person, or even online using software.
- Take advantage of our online energy calculators to help you determine what it costs to run almost everything in your home.
- Join our Radio Controlled Switch Program for your electric water heater or air conditioner.
- Our SmartHub app and online site give you access to monthly, daily, and hourly electric use. This can help you identify where your energy dollars are going, which could lead to savings. Create your account now.
SmartHub has a NEW "Home Energy Analytics" tool that will show you the energy breakdown of each appliance in your home, offer bill projections, and custom tips to help you save. Make sure you have a SmartHub account to take advantage of this informative new capability to give you complete control over your electric account and usage!
Paulding Putnam recognizes that financial hardships happen to everyone, and sometimes you need a little extra support paying your bill. We have many options available to do things like giving more time to pay, setting up payment plans, and harnessing the power of our communities to help reduce your payment. Let’s work together to find the right option for you.