Billing and Payment Information

 

Greenfield Municipal Utilities (GMU) Posting & Disconnection Policy

* The Iowa Utilities Board’s (IUB) regulatory authority concerning electrical service, safety, and engineering issues is reflected in the GMU policies listed below.

** Situations that are not addressed within this policy and fall within the IUB’s regulatory authority on electrical service will be referred to the most recent IUB Service Rules or submitted to the IUB for clarification and resolve.

  • Billing: Utility bills are sent on the 3rd of each month with payment due in the Utilities office by the 25th of each month.
    • If the 25th falls on a weekend, the due date is extended to the following Monday.
  • Past Due: Past due notices are sent out on the 26th of each month giving twelve (12) additional days for payment to be made.
    • If the 25th falls on a weekend and the due date is extended to the following Monday, the past due notices are then sent out on Tuesday.
    • The current past due charge is 1.5% of past due electric balance plus $10 per delinquent service (water and/or sewer)
  • Posting: Twelve days after the past due notices are sent out is posting day.
    • The current posting charge is $25.
    • Posting notice is taped to the door of any property that has an outstanding past due balance unless one of the following requirements have been met:
      • Customer has been approved for energy assistance and their only bill from GMU is for their electric service.
      • Customer has been approved for energy assistance, pays GMU for electric and water service and lives in a residence that has a heat source that is dependent on their water service.
      • Any of the requirements that fall under the disconnection section below.
    • Customers have forty-eight (48) hours from the time & date on the notice posted at their property to either make payment in full, request a payment extension or request a twelve (12) month payment agreement.
  • Disconnection: Forty-eight (48) hours after the time and date on each posting notice, the property is eligible for disconnection (Disconnection can be done between the hours of 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday) unless one of the following requirements have been met:
    • Payment: Balance has been paid in full
    • Payment Extension: Payment extensions are given on a case by case basis and may be refused to accounts with habitual payment extension requests.  If a payment extension is granted, it must be paid in full prior to the next utility bill becoming delinquent.
      • Payment Extensions may be requested in person or by phone call, either way the customer will also be required to submit a document that includes name, address, amount to be paid, date payment will be made and the customer’s signature.  The customer may drop this document off at City Hall, put it in the drop box that is located on the East side of City Hall near the main entrance door, or submit the document by email.  If submitting by email, please visit the GMU website at www.gmu-ia.com (contact us link in top right corner) or contact the Utilities Office for the appropriate email address.
    • Payment Agreement: A twelve (12) month payment agreement has been signed, accepted and on file in the Utilities office
      • See Payment Agreement Rules below
    • Energy Assistance: Customer has been approved for energy assistance
      • Applying for energy assistance prevents posting & disconnection for thirty (30) days from application date.
    • Medical Request: Customer has presented our office with a medical necessity request from a physician or public health official.  A medical necessity request shall postpone disconnection for thirty (30) days.  In the event service is terminated within fourteen (14) days prior to verification of illness by or for a qualifying residence, service shall be restored to that residence if proper verification is thereafter made in accordance with the foregoing provisions.  If the customer does not enter into a reasonable payment agreement for the retirement of the unpaid balance of the account within the first thirty (30) days and does not keep the current account paid during the period that the unpaid balance is to be retired, the customer is subject to disconnection pursuant to paragraph 20.4(15) “f” of the Iowa Utilities Board code.
      • IUB Code 20.4(15) “f” states: A utility may disconnect electric service after 24-hour notice (and without the written twelve (12)-day notice) for failure of the customer to comply with the terms of a payment agreement.
      • If electric service is required for a medical necessity, water service may still be disconnected if delinquent.
    • Deployment: If the utility is informed that one of the heads of household as defined in Iowa Code section 476.20 is a service member deployed for military service, as defined in Iowa Code section 29A.90, disconnection cannot take place at the residence during the deployment or prior to ninety (90) days after the end of the deployment.
    • Disputed Bill: If the customer has received notice of disconnection and has a dispute concerning a bill for electric utility service, the utility may require the customer to pay a sum of money equal to the amount of the undisputed portion of the bill pending settlement and thereby avoid disconnection of service.  A utility shall delay disconnection for nonpayment of the disputed bill for up to forty-five (45) days after the rendering of the bill if the customer pays the undisputed amount.  The forty-five (45) days shall be extended by up to sixty (60) days if requested of the utility (GMU) by the board (IUB) in the event the customer files a written complaint with the board (IUB) in compliance with ICA 199-Chapter 6.
    • Severe Cold Weather: A disconnection may not take place where electricity is used as the only source of space heating or to control or operate the only space heating equipment at the residence on any day when the National Weather Service forecast for the following twenty-four (24) hours covering the area in which the residence is located includes a forecast that the temperature will be twenty (20) degrees Fahrenheit or colder.  In any case where the utility has posted a disconnect notice in compliance with subparagraph 20.4(15) “d” (5) but is precluded from disconnecting service because of a National Weather Service forecast, the utility may immediately proceed with appropriate disconnection procedures, without further notice when the temperature in the area where the residence is located rises above twenty (20) degrees Fahrenheit and is forecasted to be above twenty (20) degrees Fahrenheit for at least twenty-four (24) hours, unless the customer has paid in full the past due amount or is entitled to postponement of disconnection under some other provision of Iowa Utility Board paragraph 20.4(15) “d”
      • IUB Code 20.4(15) “d” states: Service may be refused or disconnected after proper notice for nonpayment of a bill or deposit, except as restricted by subrules 20.4(16) and 20.4(17), provided that the utility has complied with the following provisions when applicable:
        • (1) Given the customer a reasonable opportunity to dispute the reason for the disconnection or refusal.
        • (2) Given the customer, and any other person or agency designated by the customer, written notice that the customer has at least twelve (12) days in which to make settlement of the account to avoid disconnection and a written summery of the rights and responsibilities available.  Customers billed more frequently than monthly pursuant to subrule 20.3(6) shall be given posted written notice that they have twenty-four (24) hours to make settlement of the account to avoid disconnection and a written summary of the rights and responsibilities.  All written notices shall include a toll-free or collect telephone number where a utility representative qualified to provide additional information about the disconnection can be reached.  Each utility representative must provide the representatives name and have immediate access to current, detailed information concerning the customer’s account and previous contacts with the utility.
        • If electric service is required for a medical necessity, water service may still be disconnected if delinquent.
  • Reconnection: Once service has been disconnected, the past due balance must either be paid in full or a twelve (12) month payment agreement must be signed and executed.
  • Payment Agreements: Twelve (12) month payment agreements are available upon customer request.
    • Payment Agreements are for electric service amounts only.
      • Taxes, penalties, posting fees, turn on fees, water & sewer amounts are not eligible.
        • Water service amounts are allowed in the case of a water leak and with GMU management approval.
    • Payment Agreements may be requested by phone call, email or by stopping in the Utility Office.
      • If by phone or email, the agreement will be drawn up and mailed to the customer.  The customer has ten (10) days from the date on the letter to return the signed form to the utility office.
      • If the customer does not return the signed form to the utility office, the first payment made on the agreement qualifies as acknowledgement and acceptance of the agreement.
      • While on a twelve (12) month payment agreement, your GMU bill must be paid in full by the due date (25th) each month.
        • One (1) delinquent payment (up to four (4) days late) is allowed per agreement.
        • If a payment is more than four (4) days delinquent, the payment agreement is voided.  The property will then be posted and disconnected 48 hours later.
          • If the payment is made during the forty-eight (48) hour posting time, please see the rules below on whether another arrangement is available.
          • If late payment has already been used, the next payment late by one (1) day will make the property eligible for posting followed by disconnection forty-eight (48) hours later.
          • If two (2) consecutive payments on the first payment agreement have been made on time prior to the late payment, the customer is eligible for a second payment agreement.
          • If two (2) consecutive payments on the first payment agreement have not been made on time prior to the late payment, the property will then be posted and disconnected forty-eight (48) hours later.  Payment in full must be received in order for reconnection.
          • Customers are allowed up to two (2) payment agreements in a twelve (12) month period.

Power Cost Adjustment (PCA)

A Power Cost Adjustment will be calculated monthly on all energy usage (kWh's) for all customer classes.  The PCA is based on actual cost for purchased power.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PCA?

The Power Cost Adjustment reflects fluctuation cost to purchase electricity and the fuel to produce electricity.  An increase or decrease in the PCA is dependent on market conditions.  It adjusts monthly to pass costs through to customers' bills.  The PCA is based on actual cost for purchased power and variable costs that occur during the month.  Fixed costs such as labor, insurance, vehicle expense, etc. are built into the rate per kWh not the PCA.

Why does a PCA charge show up on my bill each month?

A PCA surcharge is included each month as the cost of purchasing and producing electricity increases or decreases.  GMU increases or decreases the monthly surcharge on your bill to cover any additional costs of the generation and delivery of electricity.

Why are there additional costs with making the electricity?

The rising cost of fuel (natural gas, coal, and diesel) that is used to generate electricity and the continuously changing regulations forced on GMU from the federal and state environmental authorities are the primary driver behind rising electricity costs.

Is there anything that can be done about the PCA charge by GMU?

Unfortunately, no.  You can rest assured that GMU will never make a profit off our customers' added burden, the PCA is in place to cover the added cost to produce and deliver electricity that isn't included in the rate per kWh.

Is this just a problem here?

While our state and community often benefit from a low cost of living, energy prices are rising nationwide.  For some natural gas and propane users, their energy bill will increase at a higher rate.  For customers like you, GMU has a proven record of managing costs to keep rates as low as possible.  That committment to you will never change.

What can I do to keep unnecessary costs from my monthly bill?

You can look at the energy efficiency of your home or business and the GMU Energy Efficiency program to help with some improvements through qualified rebates.  You and GMU can work together to make the best use of resources as well as helping keep electric costs down.

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