Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to commonly asked questions about billing, service interruptions, payments, and more. Our FAQ section provides helpful information to assist you with your Sumner-Cowley Electric Cooperative account and services.

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Common Questions & Answers

We have provided answers to the most frequently asked questions (FAQ's). If you don't find the answer to your question here, please contact us by email or by phone at 888-326-3356.

Check the main breaker panel in your house for any tripped breakers.
Check any outside breakers. There may be additional breakers at the meter pole or pedestal and/or a breaker box on the outside of the building. Familiarize yourself with the breaker configuration at your location.
When you call to report an outage, you will be asked if you have checked the above items. This helps us determine if an outage exists on our side of the meter and could help you save a substantial charge. If we dispatch a crew and it is found that the outage is on your side of the meter, you may be charged for the service call.
If you heard any unusual sounds prior to the outage or if your neighbors are without power, please report that with your outage call.
Calls reporting outages are answered 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Please call 888-326-3356. If you get a busy signal when trying to report an outage, please try again. We may be experiencing heavier than usual call volume.

Sumner-Cowley Electric can and does disconnect for non-payment year-round. Sumner-Cowley Electric is not regulated by the Kansas Corporation Commission, and therefore, is not under the Cold Weather Rule. See Sumner-Cowley Electric's Bylaws for details. If you will be unable to make a payment, contact our office before the due date. In many cases, Sumner-Cowley Electric personnel will try to work out satisfactory payment arrangements. It is the member’s responsibility to contact Sumner-Cowley Electric to make payment arrangements.

Sumner-Cowley Electric began installing AMI meters in 2010. These meters replace the old AMR "turtle" meters that have been in use on cooperative lines for over 10 years.

AMI meters offer the most up to date technology, including two-way communication. Old turtle meters would simply send consumption information to our office on a predetermined schedule. The only data you could extract from the readings was a total amount consumed. With the new meters, you will have access to more detailed usage information, such as what you consume on an hourly basis. We can tell you when during the day your consuming energy.

Instead of communication being a one way street, now it's two. Not only can the meter talk to Sumner-Cowley Electric, Sumner-Cowley Electric is able to talk to the meter!

Complete an Application for Service for each meter, and
Include a $25 membership fee, plus
Include the meter security deposit.
The security deposit may be reduced or waived with a positive letter of credit from your previous electricity provider.
The application and fees must be in our office at least one business day prior to connection or transfer.
If applicable, the former account holder should call our office to allow an account transfer.
Photo identification may be required.
Renters may be required to provide a signed rental agreement.

Fees include a $25 membership fee and a security deposit. Typically, the security deposit for residential service is based on the average electric consumption at the residence. Commercial deposits are based on estimated usage. The deposit may be reduced or waived with a positive letter of credit from a former electric provider.

For newly constructed homes or buildings, an aid-in-construction contribution must be paid prior to the building of electrical facilities. This aid-in-construction contribution starts at $100, but will vary depending on the cost of construction and cooperative contribution.

The electric service charge helps pay for the physical equipment and maintenance costs associated with maintaining such equipment. The customer charge is applicable even when no energy is consumed.

Think of it as you would when you rent a car. You pay a rental fee whether the car is used or not. The gas you put in the car (and consume) is the equivalent to the kilowatt (kWh) billed on your electric account.

PCA stands for Power Cost Adjustment.

Sumner-Cowley Electric does not generate power, but buys it from KEPCo. Each month, we are charged for the variance in the cost to produce and generate electricity above and beyond the base rate. With the PCA, Sumner-Cowley Electric is passing along that increase or decrease in the cost of producing electricity that we are charged from our energy providers.

It is very difficult to make accurate comparisons with electric bills - there are so many variables. The size of house, the size of family, age and quality of appliances, type of heating and cooling systems, quality of insulation, condition of internal wire and many other factors. If you are concerned with your bill, contact 620-326-3356. They will able to provide valuable information to assist you.

Sumner-Cowley Electric pays capital credits to current and former members when the Sumner-Cowley Electric Board of Directors declares a payment (general retirement) for previous years. For example, in 2013, Sumner-Cowley Electric paid over $350,000 in capital credits to our members from 1991. It takes so long to get capital credit allocations because Sumner-Cowley Electric is a growing co-op. As new businesses and homes are added to our system, the construction of new electrical infrastructure requires a large amount of capital. In addition our lenders require certain levels of equity. If we fall below that level, capital credits cannot be paid.

If a member has passed away, capital credits that have accumulated can be released through an estate retirement. The electric account must be closed or transferred into another name. It is important to keep the cooperative informed of any address changes so a check can be mailed to you when capital credits are disbursed.