V. Billing and Payment
A. Bills
Service shall be metered at each point of delivery and billed for each customer served. Bills will ordinarily be rendered at regularly monthly intervals and will include the period covered, the total amount owed, the factors used to determine the bill, and other useful
information.
- Due Date. Bills are rendered monthly and are due and payable within fourteen (14) calendar days after NLRED bill date.
- Late Payments. In the event payment is not made within fourteen (14) days after the bill date, NLRED shall collect an additional 5% of the balance as a late payment charge. Service will be disconnected if payment is not received seven (7) days after the due date.
B. Temporary or Medical Payment Extension
A Temporary or Medical Payment Extension is an agreement between NLRED and a Customer who requests to maintain electric service at a service location for five (5) business days beyond the disconnect date. The full amount due must be paid on or before the close of business on the extended due date. Any Customer who defaults on any extension agreement will not be eligible for another extension for the remainder of the calendar year. No extension may be granted on any existing extension or on any account that has already been disconnected for non-payment.
A Customer may only request a Temporary or Medical Payment Extension on or before the close of business on the fifth business day following the due date of the bill to be extended. The Temporary or Medical Payment Extension may be requested by email, online, phone, or office visit.
C. Multiple Delivery Points
Service provided to a single customer at multiple locations will not typically b e combined for billing. However, service through multiple meters at a single location may be combined for billing at customer expense.
D. Unmetered Service
Customers are required to pay all charges for electric service received regardless of whether service w as properly metered. Bills not properly metered will be based upon estimated usage and applicable charges.
E. Meter Tests
Meters are periodically tested for accuracy at no cost to the Customer. Customers may request meter testing by completing required forms and paying the Testing Fee. If the meter test fails, NLRED will refund the Testing Fee to the Customer. Billing errors resulting from inaccurate metering will be remedied as provided in subsection G, below.
F. Hardship
The City Council of North Little Rock recognizes that customers are sometimes unable to pay their bills because of circumstances beyond their control and authorizes Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC) to administer and provide for the delivery of Home Energy Assistance “financial aid” to qualified low income electric customers.
G. Billing Errors
On occasion, a Customer may be overcharged or undercharged as a result of an incorrect meter reading, incorrect application of the rate schedule, application of an incorrect multiplier, a malfunctioning meter, or for a variety of other reasons.
Overcharged amounts will be refunded to the Customer, and undercharged amounts will be billed to the customer. The refund or charge due to billing errors will cover a period of up to twelve (12) billing periods. Customers may pay undercharged amounts over a period of time that does not exceed twice the period billed.
H. Levelized Billing
Levelized Billing is a voluntary program designed to generate a predictable monthly bill with minor variations based upon annual usage. It does not reduce the total annual bill, but will help Customers manage their monthly budgets.
- An applicant must be a Customer for at least twelve consecutive billing periods at the same residence to qualify for the program.
- Before enrolling in Levelized Billing the Customer’s account must be paid in full.
- Should a Levelized Billing Customer terminate service or be removed from the Levelized Billing program, any account balance will be due and payable within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of termination or removal.
- Any Levelized Billing Customer who is disconnected for any reason will be removed from the Levelized Billing Program and must pay the entire amount due plus reconnect and/or collection fees prior to reconnection.
- As a result of the deferred balance, Shut-off Notices will not be issued. Payment arrangements are NOT available to customers on Levelized Billing.
- Timely monthly payments are required. Levelized Billing Customers who are delinquent in payment three times in any 12 month period will be removed from the Levelized Billing Program.
- A Customer may be removed from the Levelized Billing Program for failing to adhere to the NLRED General Service Rules & Regulations.
I. Scheduled Due Date
NLRED offers a scheduled billing program to assist customers whose financial welfare depends upon the receipt of set monthly income, such as Social Security, TEA, pension, child support payments, and the like.
Qualified customers electing to be placed on the scheduled billing program will be allowed to choose the most convenient billing cycle offered by NLRED. Penalties for late payment will still apply. Billing cycles may be changed no more than once annually.
J. Estimated Meter Reading
Normally, all meters will be read each month. However, there may be occasions when it is impossible or impractical to read meters. When this occurs, meter reading will be estimated based upon the customer’s typical usage. Errors in estimation will be corrected in subsequent billing cycles as accurately as possible.