Please watch the video here to learn more details about the upcoming changes to our bills.
Call SLEMCO
Should you have any questions about these rate changes, you can call our Customer Service Department at 337-896-5200.
New Rates:
New Rates: Good News, Not So Good News & Hopeful News
At the recent annual meeting, CEO, Katherine Domingue promised to be straightforward about any news affecting our members.
The good news is, the one-cent per kilowatt-hour increase in your monthly power cost adjustment last January has ended. This increased charge, which resulted from rising coal transportation costs due to low Mississippi River levels, has been removed – providing a decrease that is already reflected in your bill.
The not-so-good news: Starting in January, the energy charge portion of your bill – the part SLEMCO uses to deliver power to you – will be increasing. The average household in the SLEMCO system will see an increase of approximately $6.00 per month.
Now, for the hopeful news: By mid-2025, we are hopeful that your SLEMCO bill will decrease compared to what you’re paying today. We are working hard on portions of our new power contract that may reduce your monthly power cost adjustment charge, resulting in savings for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Current Rate Increase:
Rising operating costs have impacted SLEMCO’s ability to deliver power while maintaining our infrastructure. Like the increased costs everyone faces in their daily lives, our operational expenses have gone up significantly.
Nine years ago. SLEMCO has maintained steady rates since 2015.
Yes. While this increase is permanent, we are hopeful that our new power contract will reduce power costs below what we are all currently paying.
SLEMCO has absorbed rising costs for nine years without increasing rates. However, continuing operational cost increases have reached a point where an adjustment is necessary to maintain our high-quality service standards.
The average residential household will see an approximate $6.00 monthly increase.
While we won’t know for sure until early to mid-2025, we are hopeful that the new contract will decrease power costs to levels lower than what you are currently paying in your power cost adjustment.
SLEMCO does not generate any electric power. We purchase power from a generator, then distribute (deliver) power to our customers. The power cost adjustment varies monthly based on power production costs – the costs to physically generate the power you use. The energy charge is a constant rate that covers SLEMCO’s costs to deliver power to homes (poles, wire, trucks, transformers, employees).
Budget billing amounts will be adjusted to reflect the rate changes while continuing to help even out seasonal variations.
No, it will actually help maintain and improve SLEMCO’s nationally recognized superior service by making certain we can cover the increased costs for the material and equipment necessary to keep your power on, maintain adequate inventory levels of materials and equipment and continue to adequately hire and train employees to restore your power.
Visit SLEMCO.com for the latest information about upcoming bill changes.
