COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) -- You know that power bill you get in the mail every now and then that's through the roof?
Those days may be over for 4-County Electric Power customers who now have the power to change that scenario.
4-County Electric Power employee Brian Clark is among the very first to jump on board the Prepay program.
"I feel like I'm more in control of my usage. It makes me more aware of my usage every day," Clark said.
What began as a pilot program for 4-County is now open to the public as of October.
4-County serves Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay, Choctaw, Noxubee and parts of Monroe, Chickasaw and Webster counties.
Leslie Mooney is among those on the Prepay plan. She can deposit money any time she wants from a kiosk, online or in person.
"When it gets down to $20 they send you a text and tell you it's low and you need to add. I just like being able to see what I use every day. I don't have a $250 bill in the mail. I can pay as I go," Mooney said.
"If you ever do get under zero you get disconnected, but unlike the traditional methods, there's no reconnect fees. There's no late fees, so you're getting out of that debt cycle as well," 4-County Electric Power spokesman John Turner said.
Customers-even those not on the Prepay plan-are also able to track their power usage by email or by receiving a daily text message alert.
They no longer receive a monthly bill in the mail.
4-County Electric Power is one of the first utilities in the country to offer the Prepay program.
