Changes on horizon at Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., along with its three sister utility companies, announced an integration plan on Feb. 17 that featured a number of changes over the remaining of 2009 (Press Release: Utility Announces Integration Plan - 2/17/2009).
One of the biggest changes for customers is that by the beginning of summer, they will no longer be able to pay their bill at a Montana-Dakota office. Local offices are not closing, but customers will no longer be able to walk in to pay their utility bill. The local offices will continue to be staffed with such things as management, operations and emergency response.
Montana-Dakota will announce in the near future a number of contracted pay stations where customers can pay their utility bill. And, as in the past, there are a number of other payment options:
Easy-Pay (direct bank payment)
We can't think of an easier way to pay your energy bill than through Montana-Dakota's Easy-Pay program, an automatic payment plan. With Easy-Pay, your bank and Montana-Dakota do the work!
With Easy-Pay, monthly energy bills are paid with funds transferred to Montana-Dakota from your checking or savings account. All you do is record the amount in your checking or savings account each month.
Each month you'll receive your Montana-Dakota bill as usual. Then 14 to 18 calendar days after the billing date, your financial institution will deduct your payment from your pre-authorized checking or savings account. By taking advantage of Easy-Pay, you will be saving on postage because you won't be writing or mailing any checks and there is no charge for the service from Montana-Dakota or the financial institution! All customers whose accounts are in good standing are eligible to participate.
To enroll please fill out the Easy-Pay enrollment form and mail to:
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.
Attn: Customer Support - Annex 3
400 North Fourth Street
Bismarck, ND 58501
Pay By Mail
Please send your payments to:
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.
PO Box 5600
Bismarck, ND 58506-5600
Enclose the upper portion of your bill along with a check or money order in the return envelope included with your bill (it is not a good idea to send cash through the mail). To ensure prompt crediting of your account, please put the proper stamp on your envelope or the Post Office will return it to you. Please allow 5 business days for payment processing.
Pay-By-Phone or Pay Online
Payments can be made by phone or online anytime with electronic transfer from your checking account, savings account, or money market account. You can also use ATM or Debit cards if the card has a "NYCE”, “PULSE”, or “STAR” logo, or your Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit card.
Pay-by-Phone and Pay Online options use Western Union® Speedpay®, an independent service provider not affiliated with Montana-Dakota Utilities, to process all payments. Each time you use these services you will be charged a convenience fee of $3.95 by Western Union Speedpay for each transaction. Your credit card or bank statement will show the combined total of the utility bill and the convenience fee. Each time a payment is authorized, you are reminded of the convenience fee and given the opportunity to accept the fee or end the transaction. Payments made after 4:00 p.m. Central Time will be processed the following business day.
Pay-by-Phone - Call 1-866-263-5185 and follow the prompts. You may also opt to speak to a MDU customer service representative from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Central Time by calling 1-800-638-3278. (Be sure to have your account number ready.)
Pay Online - You will be redirected to the Speedpay website. (Be sure to have your account number ready.)
Drop Boxes
Montana-Dakota has several authorized drop boxes located throughout its service territory. We ask that you not deposit cash in our payment drop boxes. Paying by personal check or money order is much more secure and makes the possibility of missing payments less likely. Please allow 5 business days for payment processing.
