A YEAR IN THE MAKING: PETIT JEAN ELECTRIC TO BEGIN DISCONNECTS IN JUNE
Petit Jean Electric jumped at the opportunity to help members in need when COVID – 19 began wreaking havoc on our membership last spring. For 15 months, Petit Jean Electric has kept the lights on, no matter if the bills have been paid or not.
Moving forward, the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) announced that beginning May 3, 2021 the moratorium on disconnections for electric services would be lifted.
This means that Petit Jean Electric will begin service disconnects on any accounts that are in debt as soon as June 1, 2021.
However, scary as this may seem, Petit Jean Electric is here to help and will strive to continue keeping the lights on for all of our members. We also strive to keep our members informed. We have been preparing for the day when we start collecting on that debt. And we’ve always kept in mind how we can make this as easy as possible on our membership.
We understand some of our members have been negatively affected by Covid-19. We also know many members may not be familiar with the Arkansas Public Service Commission order for Covid-19 and need time to seek financial assistance.
Two critical sets of words that our membership will hear in the coming months is DPA (deferred payment arrangements) and Prepay. A deferred payment arrangement is designed for members willing to pay a percentage of their bill plus their current bill until the deficit is extinguished.
Prepay allows members to pay for electricity when and how they choose. Members may purchase electricity before they use it. This freedom will enable members to control their budget and pay a comfortable amount each month. Additionally, with Prepay, there are no security deposits or late fees. Instead of a monthly statement, usage and balance are calculated daily.
Petit Jean Electric urges our members to pursue Prepay. We believe Prepay is a good solution for some of our member’s current situation. Members may make payments (a minimum of $20 is required) when they want to, online, over the phone or in person at one of our office locations. When your account runs low, you will get an alert by
text or email letting you know it is time to recharge your account. If funds in your account run out, electric service will be automatically disconnected. You will be notified by text or email that your service has been cut off. You can recharge your account at any time, day or night, online
or by phone and during regular business hours at both of our offices and Petit Jean will automatically restore service. There are no disconnection or reconnection fees.
Members can contact our office at 501-745-2493 or 1-800-786-7618 for more information on payment options such as Prepay. Remember we are here for you and we will get through this together.
