PINEVILLE, La. – Jan. 19, 2022 – Cleco’s Budget Billing program can help customers better manage their energy bills.

The program is a predictive payment plan that averages the amount owed each month by spreading energy costs over a 12-month period making energy bills more balanced and budgeting easier.

“Customers who enroll in Budget Billing receive and pay a similar bill each month,” said Kristi Moore, director of customer operations.  “This is a billing option for our customers who don’t want to see a lot of change in their monthly bills due to usage.  Budget Billing helps offset higher usage months, like July and August, with lower usage months like March and April.”

There’s no cost to enroll in the program, and customers can sign-up any time.

“While Budget Billing is available year-round, customers who enroll now can begin reaping the benefits during the remaining winter months and ahead of the traditionally higher usage summer months,” said Moore.  “Once enrolled, customers are encouraged to remain in the program for a full 12 months to receive the greatest benefit.”   

Below are some questions and answers on Budget Billing:

How does Budget Billing work?
Cleco determines the Budget Billing amount by averaging the customer’s actual energy bills for the previous 12 months.  Each month, an adjustment is made to the average bill amount to avoid an overpayment or underpayment.  The bill amount may fluctuate slightly based on actual usage, but the bill amount does not change significantly.  Each customer's Budget Billing amount is different because the amount is based on historical energy usage patterns.  Cleco will continue to read customers’ meters monthly, and customers will continue to only pay for the energy actually used. 

Who’s eligible?
Most residential and small commercial customers who have an account balance of zero are eligible for the program, as long as they have 12 months of billing history.

Is there a fee to enroll?
No fee is required to enroll in Budget Billing.

How do customers sign up?
To enroll in Budget Billing, call Cleco customer service at 1-800-622-6537 or visit a Cleco customer service office.