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Will my heirs receive my allocated Capital Credits?

Yes, for individual memberships the heir of the member of record is able to collect on all applicable Capital Credits at a discounted lump sum; however, for a joint membership, this is not an option. The (shared) Capital Credits will remain with the surviving joint member. The account will be transferred into the survivor’s name as an individual membership, and he/she will receive Board-approved Capital Credits annually in his/her name.

Will I receive my allocated Capital Credits after disconnecting service?

If you move from our service area, the allocated Capital Credits on your account will remain in your name. Capital Credits are typically retired (paid) annually with Board of Trustee approval. Once your retirement amount exceeds $10, SECO will mail a check to the current mailing address on file. Please provide SECO with your most current mailing (forwarding) address when disconnecting service so that your final bill, your deposit (when applicable) and future Capital Credits can be forwarded to you.

How do I disconnect electric service?

Contact Member Services to request disconnection at (352) 793-3801 or customerservice@secoenergy.com. Most email inquiries are answered within two business days. SECO requires advance notice of one business day for service disconnection. Only the member of record may disconnect service. For members on Auto-Pay bank draft, the final bill as well as any other bill with a due date occurring after the disconnection date will not automatically draft. Expect to arrange an alternate method of payment.

Can an additional contact register/vote at District and Annual Meetings?

No, only a member of record may register and/or vote at a District or Annual Meeting. The member’s spouse may register and/or vote in place of the member, even if the spouse has not been added to the account as an additional contact. Remember to bring a government-issued photo ID to meetings for identity verification. Only one vote (registration) per member(ship) regardless of the number of active SECO accounts.

Can a member add an additional contact as an account manager?

SECO allows members (after identity authentication) to add an additional contact/account manager to their account(s). For identity verification purposes, a Member Services representative will require the additional contact’s full personal information directly from the contact. The additional contact may make certain account-related inquiries and changes such as mailing address, billing inquiries (i.e., bill amount, due date, usage), request payment arrangements, make payments, report service problems and more.

What is membership and what are the different types?

Cooperatives are owned by the members who use its services. When you apply for service with SECO Energy, you become a member-owner. SECO is a not-for-profit electric cooperative, as such, we generally have an excess of revenues over expenses. This excess, called Capital Credits, is allocated annually to members based on their energy purchases during the year. For more information see Capital Credits.

 

Individual Membership: Permission to start or disconnect service, billing and charges inquiries and online account access is available to the individual member of record only. However, you can add an account manager (for example: Spouse). See the question below referencing “add an additional contact.” This membership type accrues allocated Capital Credits in the individual member’s name on all of his/her SECO accounts.

 

Joint-Membership: Permission to start or disconnect service (requires full authentication for both members), billing and charges inquiries and online account access is granted to both members of record who must be spouses. For this membership type, spouses jointly accrue allocated Capital Credits on their joint membership (on all SECO accounts in both names).  Please note: With a joint membership, the heir (spouse) receiving all applicable Capital Credits at a discounted lump sum is not an option.

Why is my personal information necessary?

The SSN and DOB are necessary to process a utility score check via Equifax to determine if the deposit can be waived. SECO also relies on Equifax for verification to protect against identity theft and fraud. If you prefer not to provide your personal information, apply by visiting a local Member Service Center, present a government-issued photo ID and pay the required deposit prior to service connection. To prevent unauthorized use, a DL number or other government-issued ID number is requested as an extra layer of account security. If necessary SECO may request confirmation of the ID number to prevent fraudulent activity.

How do I apply for service? What information is required?

To reconnect or transfer residential electric service with established facilities, click on the orange button above. You will be re-directed to SECO Energy’s SmartHub portal to confirm the service address. Have your full Social Security Number (SSN), date of birth (DOB), and driver license (DL) number (or other government-issued ID number, if applicable), as well as contact information (Full Authentication includes: Complete SSN, DOB and Driver License Number).

 

For Residential or Agriculture new services with no established facilities, download and complete the Single-Site Residential or Agricultural Notification of New Construction. Commercial or Industrial accounts without established electric facilities, apply using the Commercial/Industrial Notice of New Construction. If the Commercial or Industrial account has current electric service, email New Construction to begin the application.