Payment Resources Available to Customers

We want to remind our customers of payment programs for those who may be experiencing financial conditions that make it difficult to keep their accounts current during these cold weather stretches and higher usage periods. Many of these arrangements can be made directly over the phone by calling (202) 833-7500 and following the simple instructions or through a customer service representative. Either way, we are more than glad to provide help through difficult periods  throughout the year.

• Special Payment Arrangements: we have a variety of individually tailored payment arrangements available for customers aimed at bringing their account up to date over a mutually agreeable period of time. Call (202) 833-7500 and follow the simple instructions or speak with  a customer service representative.
• Budget Billing: Customers can avoid seasonal peaks in electric bills by dividing their payments evenly over the course of the entire year. This plan makes it easier to budget and pay electric bills each month, because customers know their regular payment amount.

To sign up for budget billing, customers can register either by calling customer service at (202) 833-7500 or online through “My Account,” a secure self-service option that will allow customers to:

• View and pay their bills
• Sign up for eBill (paperless billing)
• Get e-mail notification when bills are ready
• Take advantage of features that can help save energy

Once customers register for My Account, they just need to log in and click on the “Budget Billing” button.

• Extended Payment Date Plan: This allows residential customers whose main source of total household income is from government or other low-income entitlement programs to request a regular extension of their bill due dates without incurring a late charge so their bill due dates align with the dates they get their checks. To apply, call us at (202) 833-7500 or submit the enrollment form online at pepco.com.
• Energy Assistance Programs: Some federal energy assistance may be available through state and local assistance programs. Customers can get more information on those programs by calling us at (202) 833-7500.

To save energy and money, customers can call Customer Service or visit our website at pepco.com/energy/conservation/ to learn more about programs to help pay for more energy-efficient products, simple steps to conserve energy usage and how to monitor energy consumption.

Be Aware of Scams

We want to alert our residential and commercial customers to several scams taking place in our area.

Fake Invoices

Some scammers, posing as third-party energy suppliers, are sending fake utility bills via email to customers, asking them to click on an enclosed link. It is suspected that, by clicking the link, your computer could become infected with a virus or malware.

For your protection, we ask that you pay your utility bill by going to our website, mailing us the hard copy of the remittance portion of your invoice or visiting one of our Customer Courtesy Centers. Do not open any email asking for payment unless it was sent by us or your respective third-party energy supplier.

Reloadable Debit Cards

Scammers are also contacting customers and telling them that their electric service will be shut off for non-payment unless they purchase a reloadable debit card (Green Dot MoneyPak or Vanilla card).

Victims are instructed to call a phone number and provide the card’s account number and unique serial number. Once the scammer obtains the card’s identifying information, the value is stolen.

Commercial customers are also being told to use the same method of payment to have a new meter installed. The caller claims that the state has mandated these meter changes. This is not true.

Always Use Caution

Many utility companies, including Pepco, contact customers in person or via phone for various reasons. If someone claims to represent our company or another entity, it is important that you verify the employee’s identification—especially if they are requesting immediate payment. When addressing past due accounts, we always offer multiple payment options.

Our employees always carry an official company identification card. If proper identification cannot be produced when asked, you should notify the police or the company with whom the individual claims to be associated. Similarly, if someone calls claiming to represent a company, ask them to verify their identity and affiliation.

If you have any doubt about the validity of a person claiming to represent Pepco, please call us immediately at 202-833-7500.

Help Is Available for High Winter Bills

This month’s extremely cold temperatures mean your heating system has been working overtime. As a result, you may notice your electric bill is higher than usual. We have several payment options and tips to help you keep your account current.

Special Payment Arrangements: We offer customized payment arrangements aimed at bringing your account up-to-date over a mutually agreeable period of time.

Budget Billing: You can avoid seasonal peaks in electric bills by dividing your payments evenly over the course of the entire year. You’ll know what to expect in your bill, making budgeting easier.

Extended Payment Date Plan: If your main source of total household income is from a government or other low-income entitlement program, you can request a regular extension of your bill due date so it aligns with the date you get your check.

Energy Assistance Programs: Some federal energy assistance may be available to you through state and local assistance programs.

Many of these arrangements can be made directly over the phone by calling (202) 833-7500 and following the simple instructions or by speaking with a customer service representative.

We have useful tools and technology which can also help you manage your electric use. Our smart provide you with detailed energy use charts and information online through My Account. Our Bill to Date feature allows you to see your current energy use and projected bill so you can know where your bill will be at the end of the month.  You can also see your daily and hourly energy use, so you can identify when you use the most energy and get tips for reducing your energy use.

We care about our customers and want you to know you can always call us for help.

We Can Help with High Winter Bills

With winter weather here, some customers may be experiencing high energy bills. That’s because colder temperatures cause heating systems to work harder and use more energy.

For those customers who have a heat pump, that unit’s resistance heater switches on when temperatures dip below about 32 degrees. When that happens, efficiency declines and costs increase.

At Pepco, we understand that high winter bills can be a concern. If you’re having difficulty making a payment, call us at 202-833-7500 before your bill gets unmanageable.

We can discuss alternative payment plans such as our Budget Billing program that allows you to make a fixed monthly payment and avoid cost spikes. We also can direct you to government assistance programs that offer help to eligible customers based on income guidelines.

And don’t forget to visit pepco.com to sign up for My Account, our online tool that can offer ways to manage energy use.

Felecia Greer
Customer Advocate

Pepco’s Smart Meters Meet High Standards for Providing Accurate Billing Information

If you are one of our 270,000 customers in the District of Columbia, by now you should know one fact: As of this month, more than 90 percent of the homes and businesses in the District have received the new, digital “smart” meters. If you are one of our 550,000 customers in Maryland, by the end of 2012, these meters will be installed throughout our service territory in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

What you may not know – and I’d like to explain in my latest blog post – is how important it is for Pepco to ensure that these smart meters provide you with accurate information. A smart meter is a digital meter that records your usage in hourly increments. This new meter also allows for two-way communication in that the meter sends signals to Pepco and we can communicate directly with the meter.

When we announced the news of our smart meter implementation program in 2009, we also told you about some of the meter’s future benefits such as quicker and less expensive meter readings, faster identification of outage locations and remote activation of power without a premise visit.

I’m sure as a customer one of the most important aspects of having these smart meters is being able to accurately record your monthly usage. Let me convey to you that the meters we are installing in homes and businesses throughout our service territory meet high standards set forth by the American National Standards Institute.

For more information about smart meters and their accuracy, you may read a 29-page study entitled, Smart Meters and Smart Meter Systems: A Metering Industry Perspective that was released in March by the Edison Electric Institute, the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies and the Utilities Telecom Council. In the report, all three organizations confirm that before any utilities can accept and deploy smart meters, the devices must meet a number of national standards and comply with state and local codes designed to ensure their proper operation, functionality and safety.

Nothing is more important to Pepco than the trust of our customers. We want our customers to be confident that their meters provide accurate information. The benefits of smart meters will be available to customers once their meters have been fully activated. In the future, we hope that you will partner with us to help manage your energy use and help protect our environment throughout the Washington Metropolitan area.”

To learn more about Pepco’s smart meter program, go to takecontroldc.com and takecontrolmd.com. You will find lots of information including a section on how to view the new data from your smart meter.

 

Thomas H. Graham
President, Pepco Region