--Important Info--

As an existing or new, member, there are several things you should know about the services we provide.  The following information addresses commonly asked questions.  For your convenience, you can double-click on the following links to bring you directly to a specific topic.  

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION

ELECTRIC HEATING SALES TAX EXEMPTION

CAPITAL CREDITS

DELINQUENT ACCOUNT DISCONNECTIONS

POWER OUTAGES

OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT

OFFICE DEPARTMENT

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION

Cooperative Light and Power of Lake County, has filed with the Federal Government, a Compliance Assurance in which it assures the Rural Electrification Administration that it will comply fully with the requirements of the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Agriculture issued thereunder, to the end that no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subject to discrimination in the conduct of its program and the operation of its facilities.

Under this Assurance, this organization is committed not to discriminate against any person on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in its policies and practices relating to treatment of beneficiaries and participants including rates, conditions and extension of service, use of its facilities, attendance at and participation in any meeting of beneficiaries and participants or the exercise of any rights of such beneficiaries and participants in the conduct of the operations of this organization.

Any person who believes himself, or any specific class of individuals, to be subjected by this organization to discrimination prohibited by Title VI of the Act and the Rules and Regulations issued thereunder may, by himself or a representative, file with the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250, or this organization, or all, a written complaint. Such complaint must be filed not later than 180 days after the alleged discrimination or by such later date to which the Secretary of Agriculture of the Rural Electrification Administration extends the time for filing. Identity of complaints will be kept confidential except to the extent necessary to carry out the purposes of the Rules and Regulations.

ELECTRIC HEATING SALES TAX EXEMPTION

Under the legislation, which was passed by the Minnesota Legislature in April, 1978, all electric energy purchased for primary source of heat is exempt from state sales tax for the six month period from November through April.

To qualify, members must fill out a Certificate of Exemption.  This is available from your Office Department at the Cooperative.

Certificates of Exemption are retained by Cooperative Light & Power and are implemented each subsequent heating season, so you do not need to re-apply each year.

CAPITAL CREDITS

According to the By-Laws of the Cooperative, any amount paid for electric service by a member in excess of the costs incurred by the Cooperative will be allocated as Capital Credits to Current year members.  By Definition, Capital Credits are the monies available to the Cooperative in excess of operating costs and expenses.  This capital is credited to an account in each member’s name based on the Capital Credit factor as determined by the margins of the Cooperative.  Each member/consumer’s Capital Credit allocation equals the account’s share of the margins based on annual patronage.

When you are no longer an active member of the Cooperative, it becomes your responsibility to keep the Cooperative informed of your current address so that refund checks will reach you.

For more information on the procedures of retirement or the total of your capital credit account, please contact your Office Department.

DELINQUENT ACCOUNT DISCONNECTIONS

It is IMPORTANT that payment is received on time each month.  If you are out of the area for an extended period of time, please make arrangements with the Office before leaving.

If payment is not received on time in any month, your account may be subject to disconnection.  If payment is not made within the time stated on the disconnection notice, a Cooperative employee will come to the residence or business to disconnect the service. 

If it is necessary to disconnect the account, reconnection will not be made until all outstanding charges and fees are paid.

Your Cooperative encourages you to contact the Office Department before your account is subject to disconnect.  It may be possible to work out a payment schedule for the outstanding balance.

Cold Weather Disconnections:  
It is the intent of the Board of Directors to adhere as closely as operationally and financially possible to the rules and regulations in force at this time as set forth by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission regarding disconnection of service during the cold weather season.

POWER OUTAGES

At Cooperative Light & Power, we strive to restore your power as soon as possible when there is an outage. 

If you are experiencing an outage at your home, the following procedures may help restore your power more swiftly:

Note:  Be prepared to give the Cooperative representative the following information (It is always a good idea to keep your account number handy in case of an emergency):

        Fire Number/Street Address

          Account Number

          Phone Number

Note: The Cooperative will assume all charges if the electrical problem is to the top of the meter.  However, if the problem is from the bottom of the meter forward, and a site crew is sent, the homeowner will incur all charges.

OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT

In addition to constructing and maintaining your electric distribution lines, your Operations Department offers you the following services:

Tree Clearing:  After you have completed the initial right-of-way clearing, the Cooperative will assume the responsibility of right-of-way maintenance.  Your Operations Department will also, upon request, remove dead trees adjacent to the right-of-way, which may jeopardize the lines.  This may be done at no charge to you.

In certain situations, we can drop wires, at no charge, if you wish to fell healthy trees in the proximity of the lines.  Please contact your Operations Department for more information or to make arrangements for this service.

If you are upgrading your existing electrical service or building a new one, your Operations Department will help.

New Service and Service Upgrades:  Your Operations Department is available to help you with completing the process of applying and receiving a new electrical service or upgrading your existing service.  Our staking crew can meet you at your new service site if you have special circumstances concerning the location of electrical lines.

Note:  The Cooperative will assume all charges if the electrical problem is to the top of the meter.  However, if the problem is from the bottom of the meter forward, and a site crew is sent, the homeowner will incur all charges.

Contact your Operations Department at (218) 834-2226 if you have any questions.

OFFICE DEPARTMENT

Your Office Department is available to assist you with billing, DIRECTV, Internet / E-Mail connection questions, and capital credits information.

Payment:  Payment may be made by mail to Cooperative Light & Power at  1554 Highway 2, P. O. Box 69, Two Harbors, MN  55616.  If you choose to stop by our office to pay, our hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.  Our phone number is (218) 834-2226.

Member Services:  If you're thinking of remodeling, building, or simply replacing your existing heating system, find out the energy costs of your addition, home, or business with a heat loss analysis.  Trained personnel are available to determine your home's heating costs before you start paying a bill.  If you feel your energy use could be reduced, try the Cooperative's energy counseling - customized energy conservation information designed to reduce your energy consumption and save you money.

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