A. No, but we are implementing a third party payment system with a user fee of $3.50 charged per transaction. The fee goes entirely to the third party not Chugach Electric.

A. On January 22, 2009, Chugach members who choose to use a credit card to pay their bill will have to pay for the option. Members will have to pay a fee of $3.50 to a third-party processor if they want to use a credit card for their transaction.

A. While the payment for electric service will go to Chugach, all of the $3.50 fee for using a credit card will go to the processor. Chugach will not receive any of the user fee.

A. There will be a cap of $500 per transaction.

A. When the $3.50 user fee begins in January, it will also apply to related payments e.g. Internet, phone or bank transfer transactions in the lobby.

A. You may in-person at Member Services at Chugach Electric headquarters located at 5601 Electron Drive. Click for directions to Chugach.

A. The board voted to make the change after reviewing the costs of the program - which have grown steadily since the cooperative began accepting credit card payments in 1992. Until now the cost of taking credit cards has been borne by all retail members. With the fees for credit cards now at an estimated $800,000 a year, the board felt it was time for a change.

A. In a member attitude survey conducted in November 2007, 57 percent of those surveyed felt that credit card users should pay a fee to cover the related expenses, while 30 percent said that the cost should continue to be shared by all customers.

A. About one-third - or 25,000 of the account bills each month are paid by credit cards each month. 17,000 of those members use the AutoPay program, which automatically charges their bill to their card each month.

A. Those customers are encouraged to join the thousands of customers who use the AutoPay Checking program to electronically pay their bill from a bank account each month. That option will continue to be offered at no charge to customers.

A. Only the Board of Directors can vote to eliminate the user fee.

A. Yes, but all complaints and suggestions about the credit card user fee are being tracked and will be reported to senior management and the board. Send an e-mail.

A. All of our board members are listed with contact information on the Chugach website. Click here to go to the Board of Directors page.

A. You can come to Finance & Operations Committee meetings or a Board Meeting and there is a section for "Member Comments". The meeting dates are listed on our website.

A. There will be a computer for members to use for credit card transactions, you will need to agree to pay the $3.50 user fee.

A. All phone calls for payment will be transferred to Bill Matrix and if you use this service you will agree with Bill Matrix to pay the $3.50 user fee.

A. Chugach will continue to take cash or checks in the lobby and checks in the mail.

A. You can sign up for AutoPay Checking where your monthly bill amount will automatically be transferred from your bank account electronically to Chugach.

A. Beginning January 22, 2009, all Internet transactions will go directly to Bill Matrix and you will need to pay a fee for your transaction.

A. You will still be able to get your bills on-line but if you want to pay on-line you will be linked to Bill Matrix and will have to pay a $3.50 user fee.

A. You can still get your bills on-line and pay by check or for the most convenient option enroll in AutoPay Checking so the bill amount gets deducted from your bank account every month.

A. PrePay, you can pay in advance for a year and get a $25.00 discount