As a part of our ongoing efforts to enhance service reliability and maintain the integrity of our infrastructure, we have updated our idle service policy, effective January 1, 2026. This change helps ensure that each member contributes fairly to the cost of maintaining and operating the infrastructure needed to deliver electricity.

  • Idle Service Period: The period during which a service is considered idle is now 3 months. That means if a service remains inactive for 3 consecutive months, it will be classified as idle. 
  • Board Approval: Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative's Board of Directors approved the updated idle service fees in July 2025 to ensure equitable cost-sharing across all members. 
  • Monthly billing: A monthly fee of $27.50 will be applied to each idle service. This fee supports the maintenance and operational costs associated with keeping idle services available. 
  • Vegetation Management: We will initiate vegetation clearing along lines feeding any idle services. This proactive measure is aimed to minimize potential disruptions and ensuring the safety and reliability of our electric service.
  • Consequences for Extended Disconnection: Members disconnecting without paying the idle fee or maintaining idle status for over 3 months risk service cancellation and removal of co-op facilities. Reinstallation costs will apply if a new connection is requested.

For more details on the idle service fee, call us at (888) 788-1551.

Any member who plans to remain disconnected from service longer than 3 consecuitive months

There is a monthly fee of $27.50 that will be applied to each idle service, beginning January 1, 2026. 

  • You will receive a final bill for your active service, followed by a monthly bill for each idle service, beginning January 1, 2026.

Landowners who have an electrical service installed that hasn't been connected in the previous 12 months received a letter informing them of the policy change. The letter states that from July - December 2025, landowners can opt to keep the facilities in place but not energized by paying the idle service charge of $64.20 ($60.00 plus tax) for that time period. Beginning January 1, 2026, that fee changes to $27.50 per month per idle service. 

  • ACEC invests heavily in building, maintaining, and operating our distribution system. When a member chooses to disconnect their service, those costs don't disappear. Instead, the remaining members bear that expense. The idle service fee helps offset a portion of those costs.
  • The idle service fee helps ensure that abandoned services are identified, allowing us to remove them from our lines. The result is a decrease in operation costs and potential liabilities.

This policy does not apply to properties where occupancy is transient in nature, including but not limited to:

  1. Apartment buildings: Properties that consist of multiple residential units where tenants frequently change. The management of electric services for these buildings is typically handled through master billing arrangements or other specific agreements.
  2. Campgrounds: This exclusion applies specifically to campgrounds with multiple sites serviced by a single transformer. Campgrounds with only one camper or site will be subject to the standard monthly billing policy. For campgrounds with multiple sites, alternative billing arrangements may be applicable. 

Cooperative Discretion

The determination of exclusions, including the qualification of campgrounds for alternative billing arrangements, is at the sole discretion of Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative. Factors considered may include, but are not limited to, occupancy patterns, infrastructure, and specific service requirements. Members are encouraged to contact our customer service team to discuss their specific circumstances. 

  • Leave the service connected and pay the full monthly service charge. Your service will remain active and everything will remain as is.
  • Disconnect the service and pay the idle service fee. Your service will be disconnected, but all equipment will be maintained until you wish to have the service reconnected. 
  • Disconnect service without paying the idle service fee. If you no longer need the service, we will gladly remove the service and any related equipment (poles, wire, transformer) without any cost to you. Simply let one of our member care specialists know you wish to have the service removed. Should you wish to restore service at that location in the future, you will need to reapply for membership and pay for the reinstallation of new facilities and any associated fees.