Bluebonnet to help customers dealing with heat, high bills

Published 08-10-2011 by Citizen Andy

From an article in the Brenham Banner Press:

BASTROP — Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative says it will not disconnect any customers for non-payment as a heat wave and drought continue to grip the state.

High temperatures and drought has led to record-setting demand for electricity, and subsequently high electric bills.

While there is no relief in sight from the heat, BEC members can get some relief from fear they cannot pay their high electric bills, co-op officials said.

As an electric cooperative, Bluebonnet is not regulated by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. However, when the weather turns hot and heat advisories are issued, Bluebonnet follows the utility commission’s rule and does not disconnect members’ electricity for nonpayment.

“We know that a hot summer leads to high electric bills,” said Mark Rose, Bluebonnet’s chief executive officer. “We want our members to know that we will work with them so they won’t have to worry about their power being disconnected during days with dangerously high temperatures. Any of our members having difficulty paying their bill should speak to one of our member service representatives.”

Bluebonnet’s member service representatives can be contacted Monday through Friday from 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at 800-842-7708, by e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or by visiting one of Bluebonnet’s member service centers in Bastrop, Brenham, Giddings, Lockhart and Manor.

For more information on Bluebonnet’s locations, go to http://www.bluebonnetelectric.coop/locationshours.aspx.

The Public Utility Commission’s rule states that an electric utility regulated by the commission cannot disconnect a consumer’s power if a heat advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service in any county in its service area.

Bluebonnet voluntarily follows the commission’s rule on disconnects during heat advisories.

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is one of the largest electric cooperatives in Texas with more than 81,000 meters. It owns and maintains 11,000 miles of power lines, located across more than 3,800 square miles within 14 Central Texas counties, including rural areas of Washington County.