Membership

Getting Started

Washington Electric Cooperative provides electric service to members in 41 Vermont towns.

If you are moving into a residence that is served by the cooperative, you need to contact a member service representative so that the electric service can be transferred into your name. It will be necessary for you to sign a membership application and pay a $20.00 membership fee, in addition to a deposit, as explained below, unless you are able to provide a satisfactory credit reference, in which case the deposit will be waived.

To get started, call WEC at 802-223-5245 or toll free at 1-800-932-5245 and a member service representative will assist you in becoming a WEC member.  

WEC Service Area

WEC Service Area
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Billing Cycle

Energy bills are mailed monthly utilizing three billing cycles with the exception of seasonal members who are billed semi-annually, in May and November. Typically Cycle 1 bills on the 15th of each month; Cycle 2, the 22ndof each month; and Cycle 3, on the 29th of each month. Note:  If the bill date falls on a weekend, the bill date will move to the preceding Friday.

Payment is due within thirty (30) days of the mailing date. A bill that remains unpaid after that time becomes delinquent, and the account becomes subject to collection and disconnection procedures in accordance with Vermont Public Utility Commission rules and regulations.

Payment Options

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Community Support

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SmartHub

Online account management portal.

New Construction

Whether you are planning to build your own home, are planning to contract with a builder, or if your home is already under construction, now is the time to take advantage of the potential money and energy savings available to you by making some critical, yet sometimes small and inexpensive decisions.

These decisions may include building design, construction details, types of heating and hot water systemslightingapplianceventilation choices, and other home systems that use energy and cost you money to operate.

The Co-op proudly partners with Efficiency Vermont to help build homes that are designed to use less energy, help you save money on utility bills, and help protect the environment. For more information about Efficiency Vermont’s Residential New Construction Program, visit Efficiency Vermont’s webpage.

Disconnection / Reconnection

The Cooperative strictly adheres to disconnection procedures set forth in Vermont Public Utility Commission regulations governing electric utilities. There are basically four steps to the process.  These steps apply only to those disconnections occurring from November 1 to March 31.  From April 1 to October 31, only steps 1 and 2 apply.  These steps are as follows:

  1. WEC mails bills monthly. If the bill remains unpaid by the start of the next billing cycle, the customer carries a “balance forward” on that month’s bill. If several more days go by with no payment, a disconnect notice is sent warning of a possible disconnection and providing information about the customer’s rights under the law. The member is invited to contact the Cooperative to discuss payment arrangements that can take some of the pressure off, but still ensures that WEC will receive payment of the overdue amount within a reasonable amount of time.
  2. The next collection effort begins on a Friday afternoon approximately one month after the original bill was mailed.  The Co-op initiates automated telephone calls to all delinquent customers. The automated calls are programmed to run Monday through Friday. The calls deliver a message, which can be recorded by an answering machine, advising the member to call the Cooperative as soon as possible.
  3. Attempts are made to call the member prior to disconnection if possible.

Failure to pay the delinquent amount or make reasonable payment arrangements may result in disconnection of service. The member will incur a $20.00 disconnection fee and a $20.00 reconnection fee if restoration of service is done during regular business hours. Additional charges will apply if service is restored after business hours.

Disconnection/Reconnection Policy #12 (PDF)

Closing Your Account / Transfer Service

When going off WEC lines and stopping electric service from the cooperative, it will be necessary for you to close your account. It is important to remember to contact a member service representative (802.223.5245 or wecmembers@wec.coop) before you leave the service location to inform WEC that you will no longer be responsible for the service at this location.

If the power is to be transferred into someone else’s name it can be very helpful if you tell the new member to contact WEC. This can help avoid unnecessary disruption of service to either party.

Please remember to keep the cooperative informed of all address changes, not only when you go off WEC lines but also in the future, as your final capital credit allocation notice and future capital credit refund authorizations will be sent via mail at the last known address that we will have for you.