Even Monthly Payment

Electric use changes with the seasons—your bill doesn't have to

Enroll in budget billing to manage your energy costs easier

This free service helps you spread your monthly energy costs evenly throughout the year. While it’s not a cost-savings plan, our Even Monthly Payment (EMP) plan makes budgeting for household expenses easier. You still pay the same total amount for the energy you use but with EMP the peaks and valleys are removed, so you pay the same amount each month.

We determine a monthly payment based on the average of your last 12 months' of electricity use so you'll know the amount of your monthly payments in advance. We’ll review your account midway through your EMP plan year and annually to ensure that your budgeted amount continues to be in line with your energy use. If your energy use is significantly higher or lower, we’ll adjust your EMP amount to help you stay on track. And we’ll pay interest on your average daily credit balance.

Enroll in Even Monthly Payment

And if it doesn't work for you, it's easy to return to conventional billing.

Combine EMP with other options

Once your bill is on our EMP plan, you may want to further simplify bill payment by enrolling in one of these payment programs:

  • Ready Check allows you to pay your bill automatically each month from your bank account.
  • ePay paperless billing is our free electronic payment program. You can choose to schedule payments for a day that works best for you or to enroll in ePay's automatic payment option.

Frequently asked questions

Can I start on EMP any time of the year?

Why is EMP better than paying Otter Tail Power Company for what I use each month?

  • EMP helps manage budgets by smoothing out the highs and lows of your monthly electric service bill.

Will I be notified if my budgeted amount is changed upon a review? 

  • You'll be notified by letter if your budgeted amount is adjusted midway through the EMP plan year.
  • At the start of a new EMP plan year, changes to your budgeted amount will be listed as a line item on your billing statements.   

What if my overall energy use is higher or lower than my budgeted amount?

  • If you have a credit or a debit balance at the end of your EMP plan year, that balance will roll into your next annual EMP plan and be taken into consideration when calculating the new budget amount.  

How are credit or debit balances handled if I request to stop the EMP plan or am removed from the program due to poor payment history?

  • If you have a credit balance it will be applied to your account and reduce any balance owed.
  • If you have a debit balance resulting from your energy use being greater than your budgeted EMP amount, the total debit balance will be applied to your account and due on your next billing statement.

Do you have any other requirements for participating in EMP?

  • We appreciate your prompt payment. Minnesota rules require that we offer EMP to all customers regardless of their payment history. We may place customers with an outstanding balance on a budget payment plan that includes repayment of the outstanding balance.
  • If you have two late payments in the past 70 days or a disconnect service order is issued for your account, we may remove you from EMP.
Minnesota