A Complete Guide to Paying Your Washington St Tammany Electric Bill

Living in Louisiana’s Washington, St. Tammany or Tangipahoa parishes? Washington St Tammany Electric Cooperative (WSTE) provides electric service in these areas. As a member, you pay monthly electricity bills to WSTE through various convenient payment options. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything about paying your WSTE electric bill smoothly.

Overview of Washington St Tammany Electric Cooperative

Let’s first understand what WSTE is all about:

• Not-for-profit electric cooperative serving 50,000+ members

• Provides electricity across 3 parishes in Louisiana

• Governed by a Board of Directors elected by members

• Committed to reliable service customer value

• Offers residential and commercial electric plans

• Invests in community programs and scholarships

So in essence, WSTE is member-owned and focused on delivering affordable and quality electric service.

WSTE Electric Bill Payment Options

WSTE offers multiple ways to pay your electricity bills conveniently every month:

1. SmartHub App

The easiest option is via WSTE’s SmartHub app for Android/iOS. You can:

• Pay bills using bank account, debit/credit card

• View current and past bills

• Monitor daily electric usage

• Report outages, check restoration status

• Manage account and update details

• Receive notifications from WSTE

2. Online Bill Pay

You can pay at wste.smarthub.coop by:

• Bank account e-check

• Debit/credit card (fees apply)

• Sign up for autopay from bank

• Go paperless with eBills

3. Pay By Phone

Call 985-839-3562 and press Option 1 to use the automated phone payment system.

4. Mail-in Payment

Send a cheque or money order to WSTE’s address printed on the bill. Include bill stub.

5. In-Person Payment

Pay by cash, cheque or money order at any WSTE office in Franklinton, Folsom, Abita Springs or Slidell.

6. Authorized Payment Locations

Pay at authorized CheckFreePay locations displaying the CheckFreePay logo.

How to Avoid Late Fees on WSTE Electric Bill

To avoid late payment penalties, make sure to pay your WSTE bill by the due date mentioned on the bill.

• Due date is 20 days after monthly bill generation

• Pay online, phone or in-person before 11:59 PM on due date

• After due date, a 5% late fee is charged

• If outstanding after due date, disconnection notice is sent

• Service may get disconnected if bill not paid after notice

So pay sufficient attention to the due date mentioned on your electric bill to avoid extra late fees.

Enroll in Budget Billing for Equal Monthly Payments

WSTE offers Budget Billing for members to pay equal amounts every month and avoid seasonal spikes.

To enroll:

• Your account must be active for minimum 12 months

• You need a good payment history

• Call WSTE or login to SmartHub and select Budget Billing

• Your payment stays the same every month based on past average use

• Annually your account is reviewed and amount adjusted accordingly

Budget Billing helps manage your monthly electricity expenses conveniently.

Get Notifications for Your WSTE Electric Bill

Along with your monthly paper or eBill, you can receive bill notifications via:

• Email and text alerts when bill generated – enable in SmartHub

• Individual high usage alerts if you exceed preset limits

• Payment confirmation alerts when you pay your bill

• Automated call, email reminder 2 days before due date if unpaid

• Separate notice alerting disconnection if bill remains unpaid after due date

So enable notifications in SmartHub to stay updated on your electric bill status.

Troubleshooting Billing and Payment Issues

If you face any problems with your WSTE electric bill, try these steps:

• Check your billing and payment history in SmartHub

• Contact WSTE customer support if payment issues

• Update payment method details if invalid

• For autopay failures, pay manually before due date

• Request statement for rental allowance or tax credit

• Review billing cycles if bill seems incorrect

• Inform WSTE if moving to close account

• Email any billing disputes with details to resolve faster

WSTE’s customer support team is quite helpful in addressing any electric billing problems.

Starting or Stopping Electric Service

To begin new electric service with WSTE when moving in:

• Submit new service request form with details

• Provide valid ID and proof of residence

• Pay connection deposit based on credit check

• Electricity will be connected within 1 business day

To stop service when moving out:

• Inform WSTE at least 3 days before your move

• Provide move out date for final billing

• Pay final bill when received to close your account

So WSTE makes starting or stopping electric service very convenient.