City of Wisner offers energy efficiency programs for 2020-21

The City of Wisner, in partnership with its wholesale electric power supplier, the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, is continuing to provide four energy efficiency programs to assist in lowering energy costs for local utility customers through energy efficiency improvements.

The programs offer cash incentives to make energy efficient upgrades in the areas of insulation, cooling systems, home thermostats and commercial lighting. The programs are available through March 31, 2021 or while program funds last. Here is a rundown of the four programs:

Smart Thermostat Program 

Provides a cash incentive of up to $100 paid directly to residential customers to help cover the cost of installing a qualifying smart thermostat.

Attic Insulation Program 

Provides cash incentives of $0.15 / per square foot with a maximum incentive of $300 per existing residential dwelling for attic insulation.

Cooling System Tune-Up Program 

Provides a $30 cash incentive to residential homeowners who have their cooling system tuned up by a HVAC contractor, regardless of what type or age of cooling system (air conditioner/air or water source heat pump).

Commercial LED Lighting Program 

Provides cash incentives paid directly to commercial customers to help cover the cost of interior lighting upgrades and replacements.

These programs are available to customers of the City of Wisner through its wholesale power partnership with the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska. For more information on these programs, contact the City of Wisner or go to www.nmppenergy.org/mean to download progam guidelines and application forms.

Utility meters are read on the 15th depending on when the 15th falls.  It usually takes 2 days to read meters.  The bills are sent out around the 22nd of each month.  They are due upon receipt but we give customers until the 10th of the following month. 

Depending on what day of the week the 10th falls on, disconnect notices are sent out on the 11th with a 10% penalty amount added to the past due amount.  If the 10th falls on a weekend or a holiday, the customers get the next full business day to pay their bill.  The following day, disconnect notices are then sent out.  Customers get 7 business days to pay this bill, which the date is shown on the disconnect notice.  Upon the arrival of the disconnect date, the following procedures will take place.  

1.    Payment arrangements shall be made prior to disconnection on or before disconnect date.  No later than 10AM on disconnect date.  

a.    Upon making an arrangement, 50% of the past due amount needs to be paid and the remaining balance can be paid no more than 2 weeks after the disconnect date.  If they do not appear on or before the 2 weeks are over, their electric service will be shut off.  The customer will then need to pay the total amount that is owed plus the $30 reconnection fee to be turned back on.  This will get the account balance to $0.00.

b.    No payment arrangement will be given over the phone.  Customers with delinquent accounts must appear in person to apply for a payment arrangement.

c.    Customers will only be eligible for a payment arrangement plan three times during a 12-month period of time.  The 12 months will start at the time of the first payment arrangement plan rather than the beginning of a calendar year.

2.    If no payment arrangement is made on or before 10AM on the disconnect date then the Utility Clerk/Office Manager and Office Assistant will go through the list of customers that have not made a payment arrangement or paid and get the Utility Superintendent a list of addresses and the amount past due as well as the reconnect fee totals.  The Utility Superintendent will send out one or two of the utility guys to do the electric disconnections.  

a.    The customers’ electric service will be shut off.  The customers full past due must be paid in full plus a $30 reconnect fee.  However, we will not do disconnections on Fridays to avoid having employees called in after hours and the customers having to pay extra fees.  Reconnections will only be made during regular business hours.

b.    During the course of the disconnection process, if a city employee goes to the address to make a disconnection and the customer wants to pay their past due amount to avoid a disconnection, a $25 pickup fee is charged and needs to be paid at that time also. 

i.    If a city guy goes to the address to make a disconnection and the customer can’t make a full payment, they will be able to use 1 of their 3 payment arrangements (refer to 1c).  Half of the past due amount must be paid plus the $25 pick-up fee must be paid at the time of signing the payment agreement.  Customers must sign agreements in the office.  If half the amount due plus the $25 pick-up fee is not paid by 3pm on shut off day, their electric service will be shut off.  

ii.    According to Resolution 2020-6, after three times of having a City of Wisner employee sent to a customer’s premises to collect a delinquent utility bill, they shall be charged $50.00 each time.