Phone: 903-846-2311 or 800-794-2919
Report an Outage: 877-707-2232
Report an Outage: 877-707-2232
1. How do I get service from Bowie Cass?
Start by completely filling out our online application found here. Then, call 903-846-2311 and ask to speak to a Member Service Representative.
2. What is the difference between conventional billing and prepay?
Conventional billing gives you a bill for usage over the course of 1 month. A credit check is required and you may be subject to a deposit.
Pre-pay is daily billing with electronic alerts and reminders via texts and email. No deposit is required but a 12-month contract is required. For more information and to download a Prepay Contract click
3. Deposits; why and how much?
All new members are required to have a “soft” credit check to determine credit risk and to validate their personal information. This is done through Online Utility Exchange in partner with Experian. The credit check gives a green light or a red light. A red light will require a deposit based on Member Policy #10. That policy can be found
4. I do not understand my bill.
Each bill has several components with the two most important being
All residential bills have 3 basic components:
A minimum Customer Service Charge, which is $22.50 per month, applicable to each meter.
Our Tariffs or Rate (measured in kWh or kilowatt-hours, the industry standard for measuring the amount of energy that passes through your meter and into your home. If you had ten 100-watt lightbulbs burning for one hour that would require 1 kWh of energy) The Winter Rate is $.05184 per kWh for the months of January and February. The Summer Rate is $.06484 per kWh for the months of March through December. A Resisential Rate Sheet can be found here.
A Power Cost Recovery Factor (PCRF). A charge for each kWh purchased that may vary from month to month based on the wholesale cost of power.
Your bill may also include a charge for Security Lights. Each Security Light has a basic charge and an associated PCRF based on the number of kWh each light consumes. Rates for the various types of Security Lights available can be found here.
in addition, each bill contains detailed usage graphs for monthly and annual usage.
5. What is the PCRF?
The PCRF or Power Cost Recover Factor is simply the cost difference of what the cooperative has in our established rate to pay for the cost of power and the current cost that the cooperative has to pay for wholesale power. Our current residential rates (set in 1993) allow for $ .03501 per kWh. If wholesale power costs are about $ .085 per kWh, then the difference is roughly 5 cents per kWh, and that difference is passed on to the member as a $ .0500 per kWh PCRF. Power costs are always a pass through charge, the member is charged the same rate as the cost charged the Cooperative.
6. I have multiple meters. What options & issues does this create?
Having more than one meter gives you options. You have the option of Invoice Billing, putting all the meters on a single bill, which allows payment by using the invoice number. You have the option of Individual Billing per meter, which may require separate payments depending on which payment method you choose.
The option of Multiple meters can result in a balance on one meter and a credit on another that does not automatically offset. Should this occur, contact the office by calling 903-846-2311.
7. How to I set up the online Member Portal?
Go to http://www.bcec.com. Hover over “My Account” and click “Pay Online” Click the "Sign In" tab even though you do not haev an account yet, and click “Create User ID”. This will send you over to the page to complete the required information to create your online account. Read the prompts on screen to finish the setup. Once you understand the information, select “Continue” button. Be sure to fill out all of the required information and when you are finished, hit submit. You are done! At this point, you are able to download our Mobile-App to use on your favorite devices or continue to use the desktop version!
8. Why am I not getting my bill sooner?
Our bills are generated by a 3rd party and mailed to you. They have a large facility producing tens of thousands of bills daily. The USPS has employees in their facility to get the bills in the system as soon as they are generated. We have no control over the timing of mail delivery and strongly suggest electronic billing.
You can enjoy electronic billing while still choosing to pay by any of our numerous methods. Just because you “e-bill” doesn’t mean you have to “e-pay”. However, the same issue of timing still exists with payments being placed in the mail. Penalties are applied for all payments received later than the due date. Our policy is taken directly from the Public Utility Commission of Texas that allows 16 days before a bill can be considered late.
9. Why is my bill / usage so high?
Bills are a function of usage and usage varies depending on your home and your habits. No two homes are exactly alike and even if similar are not operated the same.
Ambient temperature overwhelmingly is the driver for usage and therefore the amount of your bill. The hotter and colder it is outside the more all HVAC units have to work to maintain the desired temperature setting on your thermostat. This is why winter & summer bills are the highest and spring & fall bills are the lowest.
LEVELIZED BILLING is a great tool to avoid the ups and downs of monthly billing.
10. What is Levelized Billing?
Levelized billing allows each member to get the most consistent monthly bill. Levelized bills are calculated using a rolling 12-month average. It does require the member to be on bank draft. For more information on Levelized Billing click here.
11. What if I can’t pay by the due date? What options do I have?
Extensions are available contingent on length of service and payment records. They are available monthly so long as the extension is kept exactly as it was agreed upon.
Deferred Payment Plans are also available contingent on the member’s payment history with the Cooperative.
Both of these options require you to contact a Member Services Representative and are described in Member Policy 19. That policy can be reviewed here.