Pay Your Electric Bill with Ease Using Berkeley Electric Cooperative’s Bill Payment Options

Paying your monthly electric bill is an unavoidable necessity. But that doesn’t mean it has to be a hassle or inconvenient. As your trusted local electric cooperative, we at Berkeley Electric Cooperative want to provide you with a variety of bill payment options to choose from to make paying your bill quick, easy, and stress-free.

As a not-for-profit cooperative owned by the members we serve, our mission is to provide reliable electricity at an affordable price We also aim to provide exceptional member service, including flexible payment options to fit your needs and lifestyle

In this article, we’ll outline the various bill payment options available through Berkeley Electric Cooperative, so you can choose the method that works best for you.

Overview of Bill Payment Options

We offer several ways for members to pay their electric bill ranging from online payments to payments by phone in person, by mail, and more.

Some of the most popular options include:

• Online payments through our SmartHub portal or mobile app
• Automatic bank draft directly from your bank account
• Credit/debit card draft automatically charged each month
• Pay-as-you-go prepaid billing
• Budget billing to even out payments
• Phone payments through our automated system
• In-person payments at local district offices or payment kiosks
• Mail-in payments by check or money order

No matter how you prefer to pay, we likely have an option that will work for you. Let’s explore these bill payment choices in more detail.

Pay Online Using SmartHub

Our most popular payment method is through SmartHub, our online member portal and mobile app. With SmartHub, you can pay your bill anytime, anywhere in just a few quick clicks.

To pay online, simply log into your SmartHub account or download the app. You can make one-time payments or set up recurring payments to be drafted automatically each month. SmartHub also allows you to view your electric usage, see previous statements, report outages, and more.

Payments through SmartHub can be made by credit/debit card, e-check, or from a bank account. There are no processing fees for online payments made through SmartHub. Payments are posted to your account immediately.

The convenience of paying online makes SmartHub a great choice for members who want to pay their bill quickly and easily on their own schedule.

Sign Up for Automatic Draft Payments

For ultimate convenience, you can have your electric bill payment drafted directly from your bank account or charged to your credit or debit card each month.

With bank account draft, the payment amount will be automatically withdrawn from your checking or savings account on your bill’s due date each month. For credit/debit card draft, the payment will be automatically charged to that card on the due date.

To sign up, simply complete a draft authorization form available on our website or in your local district office. You can also enroll through SmartHub. Just log into your account and go to the “AutoPay Program” section.

Draft payments ensure your bill is paid on time each month, helping you avoid late fees. It’s one less thing to remember!

Pay As You Go with Prepaid Billing

If you want maximum control and flexibility in when and how much you pay, our Pay-As-You-Go prepaid billing option allows you to pay for electricity as you use it.

With prepaid billing, you purchase electricity upfront before usage instead of paying a monthly bill after the fact. There are no deposit requirements, late fees, or due dates to worry about.

Your usage and account balance are calculated daily and sent to your smartphone or other device. You can add money to your account whenever it’s convenient for you and in amounts that fit your budget. Payments can be made online, by phone, or at one of our district offices.

Prepaid billing gives you the freedom to take charge of your electric payments in a way that fits your needs and preferences. If you like prepaying for services like cell phone plans, prepaid electric billing may be right for you.

Enroll in Budget Billing

If you want to avoid billing spikes and fluctuations from seasonal changes in energy use, our budget billing plans can create a consistent bill amount each month.

We offer both fixed budget billing and levelized billing:

• Fixed budget billing sets a “fixed” monthly bill amount based on your past electricity usage. The amount is recalculated twice per year but remains constant for 6 months at a time.

• Levelized billing calculates your bill amount each month based on the average of your last 12 months of electric use. The amount changes slightly each month as the average is updated.

With budget billing, you only pay the monthly budget amount during the program period. At the end of the year, your account is “settled up” by applying any remaining credit or debit balance.

Budget billing helps take some of the surprise out of your electric bill by making it more predictable and stable month to month.

Make a Phone Payment

You can easily pay your bill over the phone using our automated phone payment system. Call 1-877-853-6731 anytime day or night and follow the prompts.

You will need to enter your Berkeley Electric Cooperative account number and credit/debit card or bank account information. The payment will be immediately applied to your account.

The automated phone payment system offers a quick and convenient way to pay if you don’t have access to the internet or prefer paying by phone. Just remember that we cannot accept payments over the phone from a member service representative for your protection from scams.

Stop by a District Office or Payment Kiosk

If you prefer to pay your bill in person, you can visit any of our local district offices during business hours to make a payment by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card. We also have convenient 24-hour payment kiosks located outside some district offices and inside select local businesses.

District office staff can also assist with any questions about your account, electric use, or payment arrangements if needed. Payments made in-person are applied to your account right away.

Just remember that our district offices require a $20 minimum payment for in-person transactions. But our payment kiosks will accept payments of any amount if you need to pay a smaller sum.

Mail In a Check or Money Order

We also accept electric bill payments by mail in the form of a check or money order. Please make your check payable to Berkeley Electric Cooperative and write your account number on the memo line.

Mailed payments should be sent to:

Berkeley Electric Cooperative
PO Box 340
Awendaw, SC 29429

Remember to allow 5-7 business days for mailed payments to be received and processed. Payments are applied as of the postmarked date, not the date received. To avoid late fees, mail your payment in plenty of time to arrive by the due date.

Get Assistance with Payments from Payment Partners

If you are facing financial challenges and need help making an electric bill payment, assistance may be available through our payment partners:

• Energy Assistance Programs – Federal and state programs can help income-eligible households pay utility bills. We partner with LIHEAP, REACH, and other assistance agencies.

• Payment Arrangements – We offer personalized payment plan options if you cannot pay the full amount of your bill.

• Operation Round Up – Members can round up their bill amount each month with the spare change going to help other members in need.

Please contact your local district office if you need assistance paying your electric bill so we can connect you with available resources. We are here to help.

We Make Paying Your Electric Bill Easy

As you can see, Berkeley Electric offers numerous payment options to conveniently fit any schedule or preference. Whether in person, by phone, online, or mail, paying your electric bill can easily be accomplished.

If you have any questions about billing or want to set up new payment arrangements like budget billing or bank draft, please call or stop by one of our local district offices. Our talented member services team is always happy to assist you.

At Berkeley Electric Cooperative, our top priority is providing affordable, reliable electricity to empower the lives of our members. We aim to make bill payment as stress-free as possible so you can focus on the things that matter most. We look forward to serving you and your home or business for years to come.