Warner Robins-based Flint Energies plans rate change

Flint Energies residential customers will see a $1 increase beginning with their April bill.

As of April 1, the monthly base rate will move from $24 to $25, according to a news release from the company. The increase is part of a plan that calls for the residential base charge to increase to $27 a month by 2018.

"We have calculated the actual cost of providing service to a residential location at over $31/month," Flint Energies Senior Vice President Jimmy Autry said in the release. "We anticipate our monthly base charge to rise a bit each year as we cover these higher costs of service."

The base charge is the fixed amount charged each billing period to cover Flint's cost of a meter, reading the meter, billing the account through data processing and collecting and crediting payment, the release said.

Members who receive a Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program check to help them pay for electricity can be placed on Flint's low-income rate. After April 1, members that confirm their LIHEAP standing with a check payment will be eligible for a reduced base service charge of $12.50 instead of $25 per month.

Founded in 1937, Flint Energies is a not-for-profit cooperative owned by thousands of members in parts of 17 Middle Georgia counties.

To contact writer Linda S. Morris, call 744-4223 or follow her on Twitter@MidGaBiz.

This story was originally published December 30, 2015 at 9:37 PM with the headline "Warner Robins-based Flint Energies plans rate change ."