HEA members can generate energy themselves using member-owned generation. Member-generated energy offsets their electricity consumption while crediting any surplus into their accounts.
Seward may benefit from taking action quickly to avoid higher rates in the short term, as HEA currently has an interim rate freeze until hearings for its next rate case with the RCA will likely begin in 2025. This may be a feasible strategy.
Rates
Homer Electric Association, an Alaska utility providing electricity to a diverse set of customers on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, plans on raising its base rates starting in January to help meet bond obligations and cover fuel costs associated with its coal power plant. Residential customers using 550-kilowatt hours could see their bill increase by approximately $2 per month due to this hike.
HEA’s base rate currently stands at 8.07 cents per kilowatt-hour; they plan to apply to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to increase it to 8.4 cents. This would allow HEA to pay its power production costs, including fuel costs that now cost them over $8 per kilowatt hour.
The Rate Control Administrator will assess a proposed rate increase to make sure it complies with state regulations, take into account its impact on consumer demand, examine whether or not enough capacity exists within the co-op to serve current customers, consider any requests for modifications or waivers and then make their recommendation to the board of directors for consideration.
Mike O’Meara, a Homer resident and member of the Homer Electric Association Members Forum, believes deregulation will mean consumers won’t have someone watching out for them. Many HEA members were concerned by RCA’s support of coal power, and Mike fears a deregulated HEA will put more money in executives’ pockets than into those of residents.
Zippia estimates the employee count at Homer Electric Association to be 100. This estimate is derived from self-reported employee data and public and other sources. It represents an estimate based on self-reported employee surveys and data compiled from other sources. Diversity within any workplace is vital for its success: it fosters trust between coworkers, ultimately leading to higher productivity, innovation, and creativity – an effect that companies should strive for by making workplaces as diverse as possible.
Net Metering
Homer electric association offers several options for residential customers who produce their energy, including net metering. Net metering credits your account for any energy you send back into the grid; you can then use these credits to offset consumption resulting in lower or even negative electric bills. Net metering is available in most states, but each state may have specific regulations; before installing your solar system, it is wise to contact your power company first to ensure you adhere to their policies.
HEA Electric Association is a member-owned electric cooperative serving 3,166 square miles from Seldovia to Cooper Landing and along the southern side of Kachemak Bay from Halibut Cove to Nanwalek. Offering reliable and cost-effective electricity services to its members, the co-op is overseen by an elected board of directors. It works to support charitable activities and educational programs within its service territory.
Homer Electric installed its inaugural electrical distribution system on the Kenai Peninsula in 1956. Since then, Homer Electric has invested over $6 million into its current distribution system in Kenai City.
In 2010, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska permitted HEA to implement net metering with its membership. This program allows residential members who install renewable-generation systems that produce more power than they consume to sell it back at market rates to HEA.
Credits earned for contributing energy to the grid can help offset your monthly electric usage or even result in a bill-free month. Your HEA meter will record any point you deliver to the grid, with any credits applied directly towards next month’s electric bill (any remaining amounts roll over just like extra cell phone minutes do).
Homer Electric’s marketing and public relations director, Michael Jones, discussed the advantages of joining the Homer Electric Association for Seward residents with solar systems. According to him, joining HEA will allow residents access to services that SES does not currently offer, such as online outage maps, intelligent meters, financing for energy efficiency upgrades, and an energy calculator – and extending net metering services for existing systems by Homer.
Customer Service
Homer Electric Association (HEA) is a not-for-profit member-owned cooperative serving Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. Boasting over 3,166 members and offering them energy services such as e-bills, direct deposit, and online bill pay, its employees strive to deliver excellent customer service and provide energy products such as e-bills. Furthermore, they’re also members of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
HEA’s website and mobile app provide customers with information about the company, its services, rates, contact forms, and bill payment on the go. In addition, these resources are free when linked with bank accounts – other payment methods may incur fees.
In January, Homer Electric Association introduced a convenient service enabling members to save time and postage by paying their electric bill over the phone. This service is accessible 24/7 and only requires an account number and credit/debit card as payment details. Customers can also make payments at one of HEA’s Homer or Kenai offices.
Homer Electric Association, an Alaska-based non-profit cooperative, supplies electricity to communities such as Homer, Kenai, and Soldotna through businesses and residents in these three locations. As shareholders of Homer Electric Association, they can expect exceptional service from this cooperative.
On April 17, 2013, HEA applied with the Alaska Public Utilities Commission (APUC) to acquire Seward City Electric System, which was approved on August 2, 2013. Seward had long considered selling their utility and chose HEA due to their promise to freeze consumer rates for three years and existing synergies between both utilities.
The combined HEA-Seward Electric System website is a central resource for their merger process, offering timelines, news sections, and an events calendar. Furthermore, this unified site acts as an authoritative source during this critical stage for both organizations while embodying their shared motto of “Strong Together.”
Billing
HEA provides its members with various payment methods to satisfy their electric bills. Customers may pay online, by phone, at one of its offices, or through the mail; or sign up for electronic accounts that appear identically as paper billing statements each month.
HEA employees strive to deliver outstanding customer service, understanding that members are more than just numbers. With its Energy Calculator tool enabling customers to easily compare costs between appliances and its Budget Billing program, which helps members pay a consistent amount each month, HEA offers several services that allow their members to save money and energy.
Homer Electric Association (HEA) has taken steps to enhance the power quality of Homer by hiring Brian Levine as manager for its generation and transmission operations. Levine brings extensive utility industry expertise, working alongside HEA’s management team and members of its membership group to implement changes that will benefit its members.
The HEA Board of Directors recently chose three candidates to serve on its Cooperative’s board of directors – C.O. Rudstrom, Jim Levine, and Robert Ernst – all who have demonstrated a dedication to addressing the Cook Inlet gas crisis fairly and transparently by diversifying generation portfolio away from natural gas into renewable sources with stable prices that provide long-lasting energy supplies in Cook Inlet.
HEA’s Engineering Department can provide non-binding preliminary cost estimates to extend service to member properties without needing to visit them, making this an ideal option for members who need to relocate equipment or add a meter. However, members are responsible for maintaining their equipment beyond its point of connection; should meter socket or wire damage occur, they should call an electrician, as HEA cannot take responsibility for repairs or replacement costs incurred through its negligence.