Frequently Asked Questions

Why Join?

Becoming a member of the local electric cooperative is required by the Bylaws and Rules of every member-owned coooperative in the Country. In 1936, when the U.S. Government encouraged local citizens to band together and create their own electric cooperative, those citizens started by adopting their own Bylaws and Rules. Under the cooperative form of business, the co-op could borrow the funds necessary to build and maintain its own electric distribution system. Every member shares equally in ownership and controls their electric cooperative, while the cooperative operates in the best interest of its members. Almost twenty-years later, during the early 1950's, telephone service was provided to rural areas of America using the same cooperative membership structure. Today, there are approximately 1,000 member-owned electric cooperatives and membership is the reason for its continued success.

How Do I Join?

Contact Heartland REC for personal assistance, or fill-in the on-line membership application and mail it with a $5 membership fee to: Heartland REC P.O. Box 40 110 North Enterprise Dr. Girard, KS 66743 After mailing the application, contact Heartland at 1-800-835-9586 for personal assistance in processing your application.

How Do I Receive New Service?

In order to meet your specific electric service needs, please contact Heartland REC for personal service. The toll-free number is 1-800-835-9586.

How is an electric cooperative different from other utilities?

Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative is owned by the members. Because of that, taking care of those who use our power is our top priority. We don’t answer to investors or distant stockholders.

Neighbors joined together back in the 1930s to start America’s electric cooperatives. Because of that, Heartland REC remains committed to the betterment of local communities. Heartland members make their voice heard through the annual election of members of the Board of Directors, and by attending the annual Meeting of the Members.

What rates does Heartland offer?

Most homes and farms are on our General Service rate.

Heartland offers a lower rate to members whose homes are heated with a heat pump.

Heartland has rates in place for its small and large commercial members, based on their load requirements.

All of our members, regardless of the rate they pay, also have an Energy Cost Adjustment added to their monthly bill.

You can call Heartland at (620) 724-8251 to make sure you are on the right rate.

What are my options for paying my bill?

Bills are mailed to HREC members on the first or 11th of each month. Payments can be mailed or dropped off at the offices in Girard, Mound City or Iola.

We also offer an Advantage Payment plan that automatically deducts the payment from your bank account.

An online payment system is currently in development.

What happens if I don’t pay my bill?

When a bill becomes past due, a charge of five percent is added to the bill and collection efforts will be initiated. HREC may disconnect service for a past due bill 10 days after the date of mailing written notice to the member. If service is disconnected, all collection, disconnection and reconnection charges and all other utility charges must be paid before service is restored. Heartland will make every effort to restore service on the day payment arrangements are made, or no later than the next business day.

What is all that stuff under “Detail of Charges” on my monthly bill?

The largest number is usually the “Energy Charge” which is the charge for the actual kilowatt-hours you used in the previous month. We take the meter reading, multiply it by your rate, and this is the result.

The “Service Availability” is a flat fee that we charge for each meter. This helps us recoup the cost of the equipment that is in place even if you don’t use any electricity that month.

The “Energy Cost Adjustment” is how we pass on the unpredictable additional costs associated with generating electricity. Because the costs of natural gas, fossil fuels and coal used to produce electricity can unexpectedly increase, the price Heartland REC pays for power can increase as well. We add the “ECA” to recoup that additional cost.

The ECA is based on your consumption, and is paid directly on to those from whom we purchase power. Heartland does not retain any of that money.

“County Taxes” are also collected by Heartland and paid to the county in which you reside.

What other charges might I incur?

If you have a security light, a charge for that may appear on your bill, depending on whether you own it or whether it is a metered or unmetered installation.

You may also be charged a monthly fee for a surge protector or generator transfer switch if you have asked Heartland to install that additional equipment.

Certain situations will lead to service fees being charged, especially in the case of late payments or if power is disconnected due to nonpayment. Heartland’s Returned Check Charge is $25. The Collection charge is $15. The Cutoff Charge is $35. The After Hours Remote Reconnect Fee is $40 and the After Hours Field Reconnect Fee is $90.

Heartland has a Meter Test Fee of $35.

Heartland will charge members for materials furnished and for work done on members’ premises beyond the equipment owned and installed by the cooperative; for trouble calls not occasioned by negligence on the part of the cooperative, and any other work or service requested and authorized by the customer. The cooperative will not charge for replacement or repair of equipment furnished and owned by the cooperative, except when repairs or replacement are caused by negligence or misuse by the customer or the customer’s agents.

What is my responsibility and what is Heartland’s responsibility?

The poles, transformers, and wires leading up to the meter are Heartland’s, and we are responsible for their maintenance, upkeep and repair.

Everything past the meter, including the wires leading to your home and buildings, is your responsibility.

What is a capital credit?

As a member of Heartland Rural Electric, you will be allocated capital credits each year that revenues exceed expenses. Your capital credit amount will be based on your electricity purchases in relation to the total electricity purchased by all members during that fiscal year.

At other utilities, this money would be considered a profit and be given as a bonus or paid to stockholders. Cooperatives don’t do that, and instead eventually return that money to the members. As a member if there is revenue in excess of expenses, commonly referred to as patronage capital, it will be allocated to you as capital credits.

When the financial condition of the cooperative permits, the capital credit will be returned to you in the form of cash.

By allowing the cooperative to use the capital credits Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative needs to borrow less money to operate or has less need to generate revenue through rate increases. This saves the members money by reducing the amount of interest that would normally be charged for using loan funds.

Every year our board of directors looks at the financial standing of the cooperative and decides how much capital credit money can be returned to the members. Some of this goes to members who have been with Heartland the longest, some goes to our newest members.

What should I do when I have a power outage at my house?

Naturally, your first step should be to check your circuit breakers or fuses in your home’s electric panel. There is most likely a set of breakers below your electric meter that can also be checked.

If Heartland’s power is out then call us at (620) 724-8251 or toll free at 1-800-835-9586. We have staff on hand to answer your call day or night. You’ll need to give us your name, address, or member number so that we can send a lineman to fix the problem as soon as possible.

We have linemen on duty 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.