News release prepared by: Alli Conine, 620-874-4563 or aconine@weci.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-
3/18/2020 - (Scott City, KS)
Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Wheatland Broadband Suspend Disconnections for Non-Payment While Addressing Coronavirus
Wheatland Electric and Wheatland Broadband, effective immediately, will not disconnect residential and business members who receive electricity or internet services from the cooperative, while communities are facing challenges from Coronavirus (COVID-19) through May 1, 2020.
“This is an evolving and uncertain situation, and we need to ensure that members who rely on us have uninterrupted electric and internet service while dealing with this unprecedented situation,” said Bruce W. Mueller, Wheatland Electric’s CEO/General Manager.
This temporary moratorium from disconnection does not remove responsibilities for members to pay bills, nor does it cancel any bills. Rather it is intended to allow members dealing with uncertainty to continue to receive service, while making partial payments or other payment arrangements. Automatic payments, and bank drafts that members have set up are unaffected.
Other things Wheatland Electric is doing in response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) include:
Closure of all Walk-In member traffic at the following offices:
Leoti
Scott City (Wheatland Electric & Wheatland Broadband)
Great Bend (drive thru will be open)
Members are encouraged to complete transactions online at www.weci.net, by mail or by phone at 1-844-262-2417. At the offices listed above cash payments can be made by leaving the payment in a sealed envelope along with your bill and putting it in the Payment Drop Box.
“We must do our part to assist in the response to the pandemic and the discontinuation of walk-in traffic will assist the medical professionals in doing their jobs,” said Mueller. “Office Closures will be an inconvenience to some, but these precautions to protect our members and work force is a must.”
Full-Service Walk-In:
The Garden City (Fulton Street), Syracuse, Harper and Tribune offices will remain as Full-Service Member Walk-in traffic as the design of these offices protects both our employees and members.
The cooperative encourages members to continue to make payments and pay their bills as they are able.
Wheatland has several convenient ways members can pay their bill without stepping into an office.
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Smart Hub – manage and make payments on the go from your computer, phone or tablet using our SmartHub app. You can view your energy use, set up advance, or recurring payments and more.
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Pay by phone – Toll Free Number 1-844-262-2417. Use your credit/debit card or your checking account to pay your electric bill at your convenience, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Drop Box - Deposit your payment, including payment stub and check or money order in the payment drop box at your local Wheatland Electric office.
If members have any questions about these changes, or would like to make payments arrangements, report emergencies or outages, please contact Wheatland Electric at 1-800-762-0436.