What to Do When You Can’t Pay Your Consumers Power Bill
Consumers Power is an electric company cooperative serving Benton, Lincoln, Lane, Linn, Polk and Marion counties of Oregon. There are just fewer than 18,000 members in the cooperative, making it one of the smaller energy companies. Most membership cooperatives require a small membership fee when customers apply for energy services.
How to Pay the Bill
Even though Consumers Power is a smaller company, members have four main options for making payments.
Credit Card: Credit card payments are accepted at any of the Consumers Power offices.
Online Payment: You can pay your Consumers Power bill online if you are a member of the cooperative. You must register for online access at http://www.consumerspower.org/ebill/. Consumers Power urges customers to sign up for eBills instead of paper bills to reduce billing costs.
Pay Stations: Six pay stations are available for customers to make in-person payments.
- Albany – Albertson’s, Postal Connections (Fred Meyer’s)
- Corvallis – Chintimini Senior Center, OSU Bookstore, Rice’s Pharmacy
- Lebanon – Consumers Power office
- Monroe – Sterling Savings
- Philomath – Thriftway
- Scio – Sterling Savings
Phone Payment: Customers can call 1-800-872-9036 to make a payment by phone with a credit card or debit card. You must have your account number ready when making payment. The automated system will deliver some information about your account before giving you the option to make payment.
Questions About Your Billing Statement or Account?
Have you noticed charges on your Consumers Power billing statement or account such as late payment fees, returned check fees, collection charges or connection fees that you do not fully understand? If you have noticed these fees, we suggest you review the Consumers Power FAQs. As an additional resource, you can call customer service at 1-800-872-9036.
How the Penalty Fees Work
Consumers Power does not list specific penalty fees assessed on customer accounts that are past due. There is reference to a late fee, but no total amount is listed. Customers are urged to call customer service at 1-800-872-9036 to report payments made near or after the due date. Penalty charges that may be assessed by Consumers Power include:
- Late payment fee
- Returned payment fee
- Collection charge
- Restoration charge
I Can’t Make a Payment
As much as consumers hate it, customer service is the first number you should call if you can’t make your Consumers Power payment. The customer service number is 1-800-872-9036. The representative can work with you to place your past due balance on a payment plan.
- Payment plan: Consumers Power will place your balance on a payment plan, but you will be responsible for the current charges in addition to the payment plan option. If your financial difficulty will last beyond one billing cycle, it is best to contact local community organizations for help paying utility bills.
- Extended due date: Consumers Power will not move your due date by request, but they may extend your due date if you call and report temporary financial difficulty.
- LIHEAP: Consumers Power customers who use electricity supplied by the company to heat or cool the home may qualify for LIHEAP. Learn how to qualify for energy assistance with LIHEAP.
Will They Work With Me to Pay My Bill?
Yes, is the short answer. Consumers Power will work with customers having temporary difficulty meeting energy bills, but you must call customer service for help. Did the company work with you to resolve a past due bill?
