COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Cobb EMC wants to assure its members that they'll still get a discount for paying on time, even though it's no longer listed on the bill.
Consumer investigator Jim Strickland told to a customer that new bills this month include many changes.
"Everything that's hidden I want to see," said Kim Murphy of the new bill's format.
"They saw an early pay discount, they've seen it for several years. They're thinking, 'It's gone away. I don't get it anymore,' and that's where we have to educate our members that it's still there," said Vice President Kevan Espy.
Espy says the discount is now included in the base rate, rather than broken out separately. The rate also includes a $1.05 increase on the bill.
“What it costs us to provide service to our members has increased, so we increased that service charge $1.05," he said.
Along with the rate increase, paying late now means a minimum $10 penalty.
Most due dates have been pushed back five extra days, and paying by most major credit cards is now free.
Credit card payments are free only for residential accounts.