Anchorage Daily News

The Regulatory Commission of Alaska has ordered the state's largest electrical utility to delay making any changes to its program that allows customers to pay their bills by credit or debit card.

The order, handed down last Friday, came a little too late.

The Chugach Electric Association has already moved most or all of its Southcentral ratepayers over to different payment options, Patti Bogan, the company's spokeswoman said on Saturday.

Chugach executives will meet on Tuesday to decide what to do next, Bogan said.

In its order, the RCA said it has opened an investigation into the company's decision to require any customer who wants to pay a bill by credit or debit card to pay a $3.50 transaction fee.

The RCA said it had received complaints from Chugach customers about the decision.

The investigation will review whether the charges are discriminatory, and whether the changes to the program are reasonable or will have a harmful impact on electricity rates, according to the RCA's order.

The fee was prompted by the rising cost of processing credit card transactions. Chugach pays more than $800,000 per year to process credit card payments, according to a letter sent by Chugach to its members in June.

The RCA scheduled a hearing in the matter for Sept. 12.

Find Elizabeth Bluemink online at adn.com/contact/ebluemink or call 257-4317.

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