A Complete Guide to Paying Your Kiamichi Electric Bill Online

As a customer of Kiamichi Electric Cooperative (KEC) in rural Oklahoma for over 7 years, I’ve learned the ins and outs of paying my electric bill efficiently online. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk through the online payment options KEC offers and provide tips to make bill payment fast and easy.

About Kiamichi Electric

First, some background on KEC. They are a member-owned electric cooperative providing power to five counties in Southeastern Oklahoma. Headquartered in Wilburton, KEC serves around 15,000 homes and businesses.

As a co-op, they operate on a not-for-profit basis and focus on providing reliable electric service at the lowest possible cost. I’ve been consistently satisfied with their customer service and rates since switching to KEC.

Now let’s look at the ways you can pay your KEC electric bill conveniently online.

Pay Online via SmartHub

The best online payment option is through KEC’s SmartHub web portal and mobile app. To use SmartHub, you’ll need your KEC account number from your latest bill.

You can access SmartHub on KEC’s website or download the free iOS/Android app. I prefer the app for the convenience of paying via my smartphone or tablet anytime.

With SmartHub you can:

• View current and previous electric bills
• Monitor daily power usage
• Contact customer support
• Report outages
• Make secure online payments

To pay your bill, select Billing & Payments → Pay Now from the menu. You can use a bank account, debit card or major credit card. Payments post instantly to avoid late fees.

I love the simplicity of paying through SmartHub in just minutes instead of mailing checks or calling in payments. It’s fast, easy, and available 24/7.

Pay On KEC’s Website

You can also make one-time bill payments directly on KEC’s website at kiamichielectric.org. Look for the green “Pay My Bill” button in the top right corner.

This will open the payment widget where you again enter your KEC account number and payment details. Payments by e-check, debit card or credit card are accepted with instant processing.

The website payment option works similarly to SmartHub. But I prefer to have all my account info and history consolidated in the SmartHub app.

Enroll in Recurring Auto-Pay

For hassle-free bill payment, KEC offers a recurring auto-pay option. With auto-pay, your monthly electric payment is automatically deducted from your bank account on the due date.

To enroll, you must first create a SmartHub account online or via the mobile app if you don’t already have one. Then under Billing & Payments, select Auto Pay.

You’ll need to enter your bank account information and confirm enrollment in auto-pay. Your payment will then be drafted each month so you don’t have to remember to pay.

The amount due and date of the automatic draft will still show on your monthly KEC bill for your records. Auto-pay guarantees on-time payment and peace of mind.

Use KEC’s Drive-Thru Payment Kiosk

While not online, another easy bill payment method is using the drive-thru payment kiosk at KEC’s office in Wilburton. It’s available 24/7 so you can pay at your convenience without leaving your vehicle.

The kiosk accepts cash, checks, money orders, and credit/debit cards. Your payment posts immediately to your KEC account. Just make sure to have your account number handy when you drive up.

When I need to pay in person, I’ll often use the kiosk after normal business hours or on weekends when the office is closed. It’s a great option for avoiding late fees in a pinch.

Mail In Paper Checks

The old-fashioned way of mailing in paper checks is still an option too. KEC includes a payment stub and return envelope with each monthly statement. Just fill out the stub, enclose your check, and drop it in the mail.

Of course, allow 5-7 business days for U.S. mail delivery and payment processing time. I only recommend paying by mail if you have plenty of time before your due date and don’t mind delayed processing.

Otherwise, use one of the faster online or kiosk payment options to ensure on-time payment.

Helpful Tips for Paying Your KEC Bill

After several years of paying my KEC electric bill, I’ve picked up some useful tips for quick, hassle-free payment:

• Go paperless – Opt for e-bills through SmartHub to save time and avoid mail delays.

• Use auto-pay – Set it and forget it for one less monthly task.

• Receive payment reminders – SmartHub can email or text you when your bill is ready.

• Pay early – Don’t wait until the due date, which varies each month.

• Save payment details – No need to re-enter your info every time.

• Review charges – Verify the amount due before authorizing payment.

• Check account balances – Make sure you have enough funds to avoid bounced payments.

Following these tips will help ensure you pay your KEC electric bill fully and on time each month.

Avoid Late Fees with Levelized Billing

One last thing I want to mention is KEC’s Levelized Billing plan that can help you avoid late payments. This option lets you pay a “rolling average” each month based on your past electricity usage.

Levelized Billing prevents your bill from swinging wildly between summer peaks and winter lows. The amount due stays more consistent every month for easier budgeting.

Your account is later reconciled or “trued up” at year end. If you have a credit, it rolls forward. If you owe a balance, you can pay the extra amount due.

I recommend Levelized Billing if you want more predictable electric costs all year. Contact KEC customer service to enroll.

Paying Your Bill at Kiamichi Electric is Simple