FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve got a question, odds are we’ve got the answer. Our comprehensive
FAQ page includes information on our payment options available, activating your
Online Account Manager, and everything in- between. And for your convenience,
we’ve organized questions into four easy categories. Just click on the appropriate
box to the right to find the answers you need!
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Billing & Payment FAQ
Based on qualifications, customers may be eligible for the Payment Extension
Plan, the Deferred Payment Plan, or the Budget Billing Program
The Payment Extension Plan gives you a short-term extension to pay
the full amount of a past due bill.
The Deferred Payment Plan is an extended payment plan that lets you
pay past due bills in installments over a period of time. Before starting
a Deferred Payment Plan, we may ask you to pay a small down payment (no
more than 25% of the amount due). We may also ask you to pay the balance
owed on the Deferred Payment Plan in equal amounts over no fewer than three
billing cycles. If you establish a Deferred Payment Plan, we’ll confirm
the details of the plan in writing.
Please note:
- Please pay at least 25% within five business days.
- The maximum time for a Deferred Payment Plan is 90 days
- If your account has three or more disconnect notices within 12 months
you are not eligible for the Deferred Payment Plan.
- Your current charges on your monthly bills are still due on the
due date.
- You must pay the Deferred Payment Plan installment plus your current
charges each month.
- The due date for the Deferred Payment Plan and the current charges
may be different. Each payment must be made by its appropriate due date.
- Please pay the installments down to the penny. We will not be able
to continue the Deferred Payment Plan once a payment is not correct.
Please contact our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563, Monday
through Saturday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to discuss any questions about
payment plan options.
Fluctuation on your bill can be caused by changes in the cost of electricity
or the amount of electricity used. The summer in Texas is very hot and can
cause a higher bill than usual due to the increased usage. The air conditioner
will have to work even harder and consume more energy to keep your preferred
temperature inside. A change in the cost of fuel, tax changes and other
items can also cause changes in your bill. If you think we made a mistake,
please contact our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563, Monday
through Saturday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to discuss any questions about
your bill.
We know that managing your energy usage can have a big impact on your budget,
comfort, and welfare - as well as on the environment and other people. That's
why we've created the Energy Saving Center to help you become more energy
efficient. You'll be surprised at how much you can save just by making a
few changes in how you live and work.
Take control of your energy bills and visit the
Energy Saving Tips in the Energy Saving Center section on our website.
You should receive your first bill about 45-60 days after your application
for service is approved. If you have not received your bill within this
time, please contact our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563,
Monday through Saturday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Just call our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563. Representatives
are available to help you Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm,
CST. They'll be happy to give you any information you need about your bill.
Or visit the Billing & Payment Center on our Website and learn how to understand
your bill. If your concern is not adequately resolved by our Call Center
representatives, you may contact the Public Utility Commission of Texas
Consumer Hotline at 1-888-782-8477.
It's hard to say. Electricity prices in Texas are tied to the price of natural
gas, which is volatile. It can go up or down whenever events affect supply
and demand.
Most domestic appliances will quote their power consumption in kilowatts
and many electric utility companies use the kilowatt hour as a billing unit.
The kilowatt-hour (symbolized kWh) is a unit of energy equivalent to one
kilowatt (1 kW) of power expended for one hour (1 h) of time.
Here is an example: If your air conditioner consumes 3 kW per hour, and
it operates 18 hours during a hot summer day, then your air conditioner
used 54 kWh (3 kWh X 18 h) that day. If your rate is 17 cents per kWh, then
your cost of operating your air conditioner was $9.18 (54 kWh X $0.17 per
kWh) for the day.
Here are some examples of what you can do with 1 kWh:
- Use an electric shaver 1200 times
- Dry your hair 15 times
- Watch four evenings of TV
- Listen to 15 CDs in a row
- Use a (small) refrigerator for 24 hours
- Heat 20 microwave meals
- Drill 250 holes
- Light four evenings with a 60 W incandescent bulb
- Light 20 evenings with an 11 W compact fluorescent light
We know that managing your energy usage can have a big impact on your budget,
comfort, and welfare, as well as on the environment and other people. That's
why we've created the Energy Saving Center to help you become more energy
efficient. You'll be surprised at how much you can save just by making a
few changes in how you live and work.
Take control of your energy bills and visit the
Energy Saving Tips in the Energy Saving Center section on our website.
To better understand your bill, please click
Understand Your Bill or view the Billing & Payment Center on our Website.
Monthly bills will include charges for the cost of electricity generation,
kilowatt-hour usage, electricity delivery to a customer's home or business,
and all applicable federal, state and local taxes.
Monthly bills may also include charges for non-recurring fees as required
or allowed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) rules. Please
see your
Terms of Service - Typical Fees and Charges for a list of these fees
or call our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563 for more information.
Representatives are available to help you Monday through Saturday between
8:00 am and 8:00 pm, CST.
Non-recurring fees are charges from your local distribution utility, or
Transmission and Distribution Service Provider (TDSP), such as AEP, and
may include such items as a new service initiation fee, a connection fee,
a disconnection fee, or a meter-reading fee if you requested that your meter
be read outside of your normal billing cycle. These charges are not from
CPL but because we are your Retail Electric Provider, we are required to
pass these charges through to you. These will be listed separately from
the electricity charges on your monthly electric bill.
Typical fees and charges may include:
A Late Payment Charge of 5%, assessed one time on each delinquent electric
service bill. This charge does not apply to the bills of qualified customers
receiving a low-income discount or customers in the Southwest Power Pool
region.
A $25 Returned Payment charge assessed each time a check or electronic funds
transfer cannot be processed due to insufficient funds, lack of available
credit, or other bank return.
A standard Connect Fee, assessed for each new electric connection established
to an account, including temporary service. If a customer requests a connection
to be completed with less than adequate notice (three working days to complete),
a Priority Connect Fee will be charged Please see your
Terms of Service - Typical Fees and Charges for a list of these fees.
A Pay Station Vendor Charge, assessed to customers who elect to make their
payments at an authorized CheckFree Walk-In location. The charge will be
assessed for each account that is paid at the authorized agent site.
A Telephone Vendor Payment Charge, assessed to customers who elect to make
their payments using Choice Pay. The charge will be assessed for each account
that is paid using this service. The charge is $2.95 per payment.
Please see
Terms of Service for more information.
Once you switch your service to CPL, it takes approximately 45-60 days until
you receive your first CPL bill. You may receive a final bill from your
previous Retail Electric Provider during that time.
CPL Retail Energy bills customers for electric service once each calendar
month. All bills are due and payable in full within 16 days of the billing
date. The due date is printed on your electricity bill.
Yes, CPL Retail Energy offers you the convenience of online bill viewing
and payment. To view your bill online, you first need to establish your
online account with us. Signing up for our Online Account Manager is easy.
Just click Your Account on the homepage of our website and set up your own
account.
Your Account gives you secure real time access to your billing and electric
service account. Your Account allows you to:
- track your financial history
- view current or past bills
- chart your usage over time
- and much more... !
To make an online payment, visit the ChoicePay website. With ChoicePay you
can pay your bill automatically from your credit card or checking/savings
account over the phone each month. This service is available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. To enroll, call Customer Care toll free at 1-877-250-5705.
Please note that there is a convenience fee of $2.95 per payment.
You can sign up for your CPL Online Account Manager and track your financial
history, view current and past bills, your historic electricity usage, and
much more. Just click on “
Your
Account” and sign up. Or call our Customer Care Center toll free at
1-866-322-5563 to get information on your billing history. Representatives
are available to help you Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm,
CST.
You can obtain your CPL account and financial history by visiting
Your Account. Simply sign up for you CPL online account and track your
electricity usage, view current and past bills, your financial history,
and much more. To sign up for an account is easy. Just click
Your Account on the homepage of our website and set up your own account.
You have the right to request a meter test once every four years at no cost
to you. If you request a test more than once every four years, and the meter
is determined to be functioning properly, you will be charged a fee for
the additional meter test(s) at the rate approved for AEP, your local distribution
utility company. They will advise you of the test results, including the
test date, testing person, and, if applicable, the removal date of the meter.
You can also read the meter yourself. Please visit our website and get instructions
on How to read your meter. Please see
Terms of Service for more information.
Please call our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563 to get
information on your bill. Representatives are available to help you Monday
through Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, CST.
Please note that fluctuation on your bill can also be caused by changes
in the cost of electricity or the amount of electricity used. The summer
in Texas is very hot and can cause a higher bill than usual due to the increased
usage. A change in the cost of fuel, tax changes and other items can also
cause these fluctuations.
CPL Retail Energy offers you the convenience of online bill viewing and
payment. To view your bill online, you first need to establish your online
account with us. To sign up for an account is easy. Just click
Your Account on the homepage of our website and set up your own account.
Your Account gives you a secure, real time access to your billing and electric
service account. Your Account allows you to track your financial history,
view current and past bills, your electricity usage, and much more.
You can also get up-to-date information on your current account balance
by calling our Customer Care line, toll free at 1-866-322-5563. Representatives
are available to help you Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm,
CST and they'll be happy to let you know how to keep your account in good
standing.
You may pay your bill in person at a local CheckFree Walk-In Pay Station.
To find a Pay Station near you
click here or call our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563.
Representatives are available to help you Monday through Saturday from 8:00
am to 8:00 pm, CST.
Absolutely! Just call our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563.
Representatives are available to help you Monday through Saturday from 8:00
am to 8:00 pm, CST.
We do not currently offer this option, but we hope to be able to provide
this in the future.
You can mail your payment, in the form of a check or money order, to:
CPL Retail Energy
P.O. Box 21588
Tulsa OK 74121-1588
To pay by mail, tear off the lower portion of your bill and send it with
your check. Don't forget to write your account number on your check or money
order to ensure your payment is correctly applied to your account.
CPL Retail Energy offers you the convenience of online bill viewing and
payment through our Online Account Manager. To view your bill online, you
first need to establish your online account with us. Signing up for Online
Account Manager is easy. Just click
Your Account on the homepage of our website and set up your own account.
Your Account gives you secure, real time access to your billing and electric
service account. Your Account allows you to:
- track your financial history
- view current or past bills
- chart your usage over time
- and much more... !
You can also call our Customer Care center, toll free at 1-866-322-5563.
Representatives are available to help you Monday through Saturday from 8:00
am to 8:00 pm, CST.
Yes! You can make a one-time payment with your debit or credit card by contacting
our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563. Representatives are
available to help you Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, CST.
You can also pay by Direct Debit (Automatic Payment Program). Direct Debit
simplifies the process of paying the electricity bill. Arrange to have payments
debited from your bank account to CPL each month and the monthly statement
will be marked paid. Please print the
Automatic Payment Plan Form and set up you Direct Debit automatic payment
program.
You can also set up debit or credit card payments by contacting Choice Pay
toll -free at 1-877-306-9272 or visiting www.choicepay.com. This service
is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please note that there is a
$2.95 convenience fee per payment.
Yes! You can arrange to pay your bill automatically each month by direct
debit from a checking or savings account by accessing our
Automatic Payment Plan Form. Direct Debit simplifies the process of
paying the electricity bill. Arrange to have payments debited from your
bank account to CPL each month and the monthly statement will be marked
paid.
With Direct Debit:
- No more checks to write
- Save money on postage
- Avoid late payment charges
- Avoid the hassle of your payment arriving late, or lost or stolen
checks
- No additional charge
- Monthly payments on time without lifting a finger!
Yes, you can pay by phone with your Discover, MasterCard or Visa. Just call
our Customer Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563. Representatives are
available to help you Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, CST.
Please have your credit card ready.
We suggest you mail your payment a minimum of 5 business days prior to the
due date to make sure your payment is processed in a timely manner.
CPL offers several easy options for you to pay the deposit. Call our Customer
Care center toll free at 1-866-322-5563. Representatives are available to
assist you Monday through Saturday between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm, CST.
Representatives can help you:
- To have deposit payment automatically deducted from your credit
card or bank account. Additional fees apply when paying with these options.
- To find a walk-in pay station that will accept deposit payment in
your area. Walk-in payment stations may charge an additional payment
fee. Or click here: Walk-in Pay Station to find a pay-station close
to you.
- To learn more information about selecting a Guarantor for your account.
A Guarantor must be a customer with CPL and have a good payment history.
You also have the option to pay your deposit by mailing in a check to the
address below:
CPL Retail Energy
PO Box 21588
Tulsa, OK 74121-1588
You may be eligible to have the deposit requirement waived if you meet one
of the following criteria:
- You have been a residential customer of any Retail Electric Provider
or an electric utility within the last two years and were not late paying
a bill more than once in the last 12 months. Please contact your current
electricity provider to provide a letter of credit on your behalf.
- You are over the age of 65 and not delinquent in payment of any
electric service account.
- You are determined to be a victim of family violence and can submit
a certification letter developed by the Texas Council on Family Violence
as evidence.
- You are considered medically indigent as certified by a government
entity or government-funded energy assistance program provider and physician.
Eligible low-income customers are allowed to pay any deposit over $50 in
two installments. In order to qualify for the deposit reduction, you’ll
be asked to provide one of the following documents as proof of low income
eligibility:
- A copy of a state-issued Statement of Benefits for SSI, Medicaid,
Low-Income Medicare, Texas Aid to Needy Families, or Food Stamps
- A bill from another retail electric provider showing that you have
received the low-income discount within the past 6 months
- A letter from your current provider confirming that you are an eligible
low-income customer.