Hawaiian Electric Co. and its subsidiaries will switch to a new billing system starting in May that will result in several changes for customers, including allowing them to access more services online.
Starting with bills mailed out in May, customers will be given new account numbers. There also will be “slight changes” in the appearance of the bill that will be explained in a brochure included in the May mailing. A summary of a customer’s account and energy use will be included on the first page of the bill. A detailed list of charges for the billing period will be presented on the back of the page.
Customers with automatic bill payment from checking or savings accounts will not have to do anything if they want the service to continue, according to HECO. Those who receive a bill notification online will need to re-register for the service. Any customers who view or pay bills online also will have to re-register.
There will be several new features available online, including the ability for customers to view their current balance. They will also be able to view their meter reading schedule, sign up for automatic bill payment and update their customer information online, according to HECO.
HECO officials said the new billing system will help the utility integrate smart-grid technologies and make other improvements to its operations.
The changes will apply to HECO customers on Oahu, Hawaii Electric Light Co. customers on Hawaii island and Maui Electric Co. customers on Maui, Molokai and Lanai.
The utility has been sending out notes with bills and posting information on its website to alert customers to possible disruptions associated with the switch-over.
“Due to the normal familiarization period when transitioning to any new software system we anticipate that you may experience some delay in reaching a customer service representative,” HECO said on its website. There also will be “some temporary” suspension of online services during the transition, according to HECO.
For residential and commercial customers who do not access their account online but would like to sign up for the service, HECO is recommending they wait until the new system is implemented to register.
HECO has put its customer service representatives through extensive training and boosted staffing for the transition, “but delays may still occur,” according to the website.
“We’re doing everything we can to make this transition as seamless as possible,” said Darren Pai, HECO spokesman. “We’d like to thank the customers for their patience,” he added.
