Below are the current fees, charges, and penalties you could see on your bill. Please note that we have several options to avoid some of these penalties or charges, so please reach out to us to learn more.
As a local, not-for-profit electric cooperative, MTE strives to be financially responsible and good stewards of our members’ accounts. For more than 80 years, we’ve been able to achieve this goal. Today, we send 82 cents of every dollar paid on monthly bills to TVA for the purchase of electricity. MTE operates on the remaining 18 cents. This approach allows us to offer electric rates 25% lower than the national average and provide some of the lowest rates in Tennessee.
To keep our rates low, we must pass along additional expenses we incur while doing business.
Everyone receiving electricity from MTE is a member and pays $5 when they set up their account. Our membership fee has not changed since our creation as a not-for-profit, local electric cooperative in 1936.
This fee covers the cost of setting up service at a structure that previously had a meter from MTE.
This fee covers the cost of setting up service at a temporary structure or meter.
This fee covers the cost of setting up service on a structure that has not previously had a meter from MTE.
This fee covers the cost of installing a new outdoor yard light. Depending on the location of the light, other costs may be required to provide service. Please contact us to learn more about installing an outdoor yard light on your property.
Payments received after the due date are charged a 5% penalty on the bill up to the first $250 owed. An additional 1% penalty is charged on any amount exceeding $250. If a member is unable to pay before their due date, we have options available to help avoid a late charge. Please contact us to learn how we can help.
This charge is used to cover the expense of handling insufficient funds or invalid checks.
This charge covers the fixed recurring monthly cost of providing electric service to a meter. Additional information about our basic service charge can be found on MTE.com/Rates.
A deposit amount may be required before service is connected, depending on your credit. Members may be required to provide a deposit of $150 or $300 while others will have no deposit. If you’re required to have a deposit and wish to avoid it, please ask us about our PrePay option. You can learn more at MTE.com/BillingOptions to see if this option is right for you.
After several attempts to reach members who have not paid their bill or made payment arrangements, we must stop electric service. This fee covers the expense of reconnecting a meter after it has been disconnected because of an unpaid bill. If you feel that you are unable to pay before your meter is disconnected, please reach out to us. We have options to help avoid a disconnection of your service.
Tampering or changing a meter is not safe and could cause harm to you or your property. Meter tampering is often used to steal electricity from MTE. This is unlawful and subject to a minimum fine of $200. Additional charges may apply based on expenses related to repairing or replacing your meter. If you feel your meter has been subjected to tampering, with or without your permission, please contact us immediately.
Members can ask for service requests to be completed outside our normal operating hours. This charge covers the cost of the overtime work. Depending on the request, additional charges may be added to cover other expenses related to the request.
This charge covers the expense of maintaining a digital meter instead of an advanced one. If you have a question about our AMI opt-out process or wish to replace your digital meter, please contact us.
This charge covers the expense of testing your meter for accuracy, using a third-party facility. If you feel your meter is not accurately calculating energy consumption, please contact us. We can conduct a field test at no cost to you, or we can send the meter to a third-party facility for testing. Using a third-party facility will incur a $50 charge.