Policy Updates:

Easily Access FBEMC’s Most Recent Policy Changes

FBEMC’s Board of Directors approved the following fee changes and rates beginning January 1, 2023:

FBEMC’s line extension policy has changed as of July 1, 2022:

  • Due to continued price increases throughout the utility industry on all the materials and equipment we use to connect new construction to our electric system, our line extension policy has been revised. An excerpt from our Service Rules and Regulations regarding the new policy is as follows:

103 General Extension Policy: Update

– A. Permanent Dwelling. It is the desire and intention of the Cooperative to make electric service available to all permanent residences in its service area consistent with sound business practice and proper management. The Cooperative considers a permanent residence to be a fixed, permanent dwelling connected to an inspected and approved septic and water systems. This does NOT include cabins, tiny homes, Air B & B’s, Yurts, barns, campers, or any other structure that does not average a monthly usage of 900 KWH or more.  Management, at its sole discretion, has the authority to determine if the structure meets the requirements to qualify as a permanent dwelling.

System studies have shown that the average line extension to a residential primary dwelling costs the Cooperative $7,500. Therefore, in an effort to keep utility line extension costs affordable to each member requesting electrical service, the Cooperative will grant a credit of up to $7,500 towards the construction of an overhead / underground line extension. This construction will take place along the most feasible route determined by the Cooperative. The member will pay any additional costs associated with a more expensive route. If the line extension exceeds $7,500 in estimated cost, the member requesting such service will pay in advance an aid to construction for the line extension costs above $7,500. An additional credit of up to $1,500 may granted for a right of way maintenance credit if the customer chooses primary underground construction to their residence.

In all cases other than a permanent residence, a credit up to $1000 will be given to a new line extension and the member will be responsible for all additional costs and will pay such in advance. The Cooperative retains ownership of all facilities and retains the right to serve other members from these facilities and to tap these facilities to serve other members.

The member will provide the Cooperative with all necessary right-of-way easements for said construction.

In the event the meter is not connected at the time of electrical service is made available, a minimum billing will be sent to the member for such service.

Read More: Full Document

FBEMC’s Automated Metering System Opt-Out policy was changed as of January 1, 2022:

  • French Broad EMC will no longer allow any exemptions from our Automated Metering System (AMI meters). Our meter manufacturer no longer provides analog meters and our new outage reporting system relies on the outage information provided by each AMI meter to accurately communicate where power outages occur. This information is relayed to our crews in the field in seconds and which allows them to accurately diagnosis the area where the outage occurred and restore service quickly and safely. Finally, each meter communicates with each other, building a mesh wireless network. The more meters that are connected, the stronger the network will be, which will provide the most reliable information to our crews in the field.