Juggling utility bills each month can be a real hassle. Making payments by mail with checks and stamps is inefficient and time consuming in our digital age. Thankfully, Benton PUD offers online bill pay through SmartHub to make managing your electric account quick, easy, and secure.
What is Benton PUD’s Online Bill Pay?
Benton PUD’s online bill pay system allows customers to view statements, check balances, and make payments through the SmartHub website or mobile app. Once you enroll, you can:
- Access account information 24/7
- Check your current balance
- View billing statements
- Make one-time payments
- Set up recurring auto-pay
- Update payment methods
- Manage account settings
- Contact customer support
With Benton PUD online bill pay, you don’t have to wait around for statements in the mail or call during business hours to make payments. Everything can be handled anytime online or through the SmartHub app.
Benefits of Using Benton PUD Online Bill Pay
Switching to online payments provides many perks over mailing paper checks including:
It’s Fast
Online payments through SmartHub are processed immediately. You don’t have to wait for a check to arrive and clear at the utility. Payments made before 5 PM PT on business days are typically credited to your account the next day.
It’s Convenient
You can pay your bill online 24/7 using a computer, tablet, or smartphone app No more buying stamps or trips to the post office to pay bills.
It’s Secure
SmartHub uses bank-level security and encryption to keep your information safe. Paying online is just as secure, if not more so, than sending checks by mail.
It Saves Time
Mailing bills and managing paper statements takes time With SmartHub, you can review your account and pay in just a few clicks, saving you time
It’s Paperless
Going paperless with online billing helps reduce waste and clutter. You can access digital statements anytime within SmartHub.
It Helps You Budget
The dashboard provides visibility into your balance and payment history so you can better track monthly utility spending.
It’s Eco-Friendly
Reducing paper bills, checks, and statements is good for the environment. SmartHub allows paperless, digital account management.
How to Enroll in Benton PUD Online Bill Pay
Signing up for online bill pay through SmartHub is quick and easy in just a few steps:
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Go to www.bentonpud.org and click on “Pay Now” in the top menu.
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On the payment page, click “Enroll in SmartHub” under the log in fields.
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Enter your Benton PUD account number and last name. Click Continue.
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Create a SmartHub username and password. Choose a secure password.
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Enter your email address to get notifications from SmartHub.
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Review the Terms of Use and click “Agree.”
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Verify your account information on the enrollment confirmation page.
Once enrolled, you can start managing payments and settings immediately through SmartHub online or on the app.
Making One-Time Payments
To make one-time payments in SmartHub:
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Log into your SmartHub account.
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Click on “Pay Now” or “Make Payment”
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Enter payment amount and date.
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Select payment method.
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Review details and submit payment.
One-time online payments are typically credited to your Benton PUD account within 1 business day when made before 5 PM PT.
Setting Up Recurring Auto-Pay
For maximum convenience, I recommend setting up recurring auto-pay in SmartHub:
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Go to “Auto Pay Program” under Billing & Payments.
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Choose to pay full balance or fixed amount each month.
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Select which day of the month for payments to process.
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Enter bank account information.
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Review and submit to activate autopay.
With autopay, your bill gets paid automatically each month on the date you select. Just monitor your bank account balance as your payment date nears.
Updating Billing and Payment Details
To update your billing and payment information, log into SmartHub and go to “My Profile.” You can:
- Change bank account information
- Update credit/debit card details
- Adjust auto-pay date or amount
- Pause/cancel auto-pay
- Switch to paperless billing
Be sure to update your payment method right away if your card expires or you close an account. Verify any changes before they take effect.
Getting Account Alerts and Notifications
I recommend enabling account alerts in SmartHub to receive notifications about:
- Successful payments
- Failed payments
- Upcoming auto-pay reminders
- Unusual electric usage
- Outages in your area
- Due date reminders
Alerts provide an extra layer of visibility into your account activity so you never miss important notifications.
Accessing Billing Statements in SmartHub
An advantage of SmartHub is easy access to 12 months of billing statements. To view statements:
- Go to “Billing & Payments”
- Click on “Paperless Billing”
- Select statement month/year to view
Accessing digital statements within SmartHub makes monitoring your usage and charges simple. New statements are available shortly after each billing cycle closes.
Getting Customer Support
If you have any account issues or billing questions, SmartHub provides easy access to Benton PUD customer support:
- Click on “Contact Us” from account menu.
- Select contact method – phone, email, live online chat.
- Chat with agents or call customer service directly.
SmartHub offers quick access to support right within the platform. Agents can help with payment issues, account access, billing questions, or general troubleshooting.
Cancelling Benton PUD Online Bill Pay
You can opt to cancel SmartHub online bill pay anytime and revert to mailed paper statements:
- Log into your SmartHub account.
- Go to billing settings and account management.
- Select to cancel SmartHub and paperless billing.
- Confirm your request to cancel online bill pay.
Just keep in mind autopay will be disabled and you’ll start receiving paper statements again after cancelling SmartHub.
Easy Online Account Management
Benton PUD’s online bill pay through SmartHub makes managing your electric account incredibly simple. Ditch the paper checks and statements by enrolling in SmartHub to start accessing the many great benefits outlined above. Sign up is quick and easy to start convenient online account management today.
Sign up for Paperless billing
Signing up for Paperless billing is easy. Enroll or log in to SmartHub® and choose to turn off paper bills.
Change your bill due date
Is your bill due date convenient for you? If not, let us know. We can change it.
To request a change to your bill due date, your account balance must be current and you will need to choose a day of the month that is convenient for you to pay your bill. The bill due date can only be changed one time per year. Due to weekends and holidays, your bill due date may fluctuate beyond your requested date.
When you receive your first bill after the due date change, your billing period will be different which could cause proration of some charges on your bill. This will only occur on the first bill.
To choose your bill due date, please log in to SmartHub or call us at (509) 582-2175.
Pay Your Bill – Web – SmartHub
How do I pay my Benton PUD bill online?
Make a one-time payment online. It’s quick and easy! Pay your bill any time, any day by calling (509) 582-2175 in Kennewick or (509) 786-1841 in Prosser and following the prompts. Benton PUD locations for ways to pay. Includes three pay stations and two drop boxes.
How do I register a Benton PUD account?
Visit your phone’s app store and download the SmartHub App by searching for Smarthub. Once the app is downloaded, you will be prompted to search for your power service provider. Type in “Benton PUD” and confirm. To register, you will need to enter your account number on your bill, the last name on your account, and an email address.
How does a Benton PUD electric account get paid?
Funds are collected throughout the year from customers, employees and members of the community and are then disbursed to qualified customers by Community Action Connections (CAC). Qualified customers may receive a $300 payment, based on their Benton PUD electric account status and total annual household income.
Does Benton PUD offer a monthly discount?
Qualified Benton PUD customers may receive a 10%, 15%, or 25% monthly discount, or the equivalent of the Daily System Charge (whichever is greater), based on their total annual household income and if they or a member of their household have veteran, active military or widow/widower status.