LUCELEC customers have several options with respect to making their bill payments. Most people pay in full upon receipt of their bills. People who are unable to make a full, one-time payment however, may pay in instalments throughout the month. Advance payments are also welcome, especially if customers expect to be out of the island around the time payment becomes due.
There are numerous locations around the island where LUCELEC bills can be paid, including at the company’s offices at Sans Souci, the Providence Commercial Centre in Rodney Bay, Soufriere and Vieux Fort. Payments can also be made via some banks. Bank of Saint Lucia and First National Bank offer online and over the counter payments, while and First Caribbean International Bank offers only online payments respectively. Customers can also pay by cash, check or credit card via Bill Express at Super J supermarkets island-wide. LUCELEC also has arrangements with each of the nine credit cooperatives around the island, through which members of the cooperatives, as well as residents in the communities in which they operate, can make cash or cheque payments.
Once the bill has been issued, customers have a period of thirty (30) days within which to make their payments. If the bill is not paid within this time, the account is considered to be in arrears. Any customer who is in arrears is subject to disconnection. However, LUCELEC’s disconnection policy allows the company to screen sensitive accounts such as government agencies, schools, hospitals and homes for the elderly very carefully. In recent years LUCELEC has introduced a service to contact customers with overdue accounts one week in advance of disconnection to remind them that the account needs to be settled. Of course, customers need to ensure that LUCELEC has up-to-date contact information for them. Often customers change their mobile telephone numbers, in particular, and do not advise LUCELEC of the change and the company is not able to provide this reminder service.
Any customer who is disconnected is required to pay the full amount of the arrears in addition to a reconnection fee of $22. LUCELEC will reconnect the service upon receipt of these payments. Although the law requires LUCELEC to reconnect an account within twenty four hours of settlement of a customer’s account, recognising that electricity is an essential service, the company makes every attempt to resume service on the same day that the payment is received, provided that the account is settled before 4 p.m.
LUCELEC encourages customers to make every attempt to pay their bills on time. This allows the company to continue to provide an energy supply that is safe, reliable and accessible to all Saint Lucians.
Please contact LUCELEC with any queries you may have about your bill. Our Customer Service Representatives will go the extra mile to assist.
Questions or comments associated with this article can be emailed to [email protected].