FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) — A number of service fees for Florence Electricity Department (FED) customers could soon be on the rise. The proposal is not a rate increase and the average customer may not be impacted, but meter service fees would be affected.

According to FED, the most notable changes would be the new reconnection fee for people who’ve been cut off for not paying their bills. The new cost to have services restored would be $60 up from $40.

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The utility currently charges $30 for a visit, however, if the Florence City Council votes in favor of the proposal, customers would be charged $100 for a service visit.

FED Manager Mary McDuffa says with increasing costs across the board, the changes are needed to help cover the rising cost of doing business. She also added the move would make it easier for customers by listing all of the fees on one page.

“Labor cost have gone up in the last 25 years,” McDuffa told News 19. “This is basically what these [fees] are based off of to recover our costs for the customer requesting to have things done.”

The largest service fee increases are related to meter tampering.

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Meter tampering fees would increase from $150 to $350 for the first offense and $500 each time after. According to FED, meter tampering isn’t a widespread problem in Florence, but the fees would work to prevent people from stealing power.

“It’s only reasonable that the customer should pay for the service, it’s just hard, we’re crushed between a rock and a hard place sometimes,” said FED customer Louise Pass.

Pass feels the current financial times for many are tough and feels there’s no room for fee increases.

“We live in a difficult time it’s inflationary time, and I’m on a fixed income,” Pass said. “As a retired person, I don’t have a real choice of what I spend my money on. I understand that people need to make a living and that prices do go up, but it’s just hard for us.”

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Officials say there would be a total of 12 changes, most of which deal with meter fees and because those costs have remained unchanged since the 1990s, McDuffa says the increases had to be proposed.

“We’ve tried to make them as small as possible, but we also have to cover our costs with what we’re doing,” McDuffa explained. “It’s costing us more money to service the customer because we’re having to go to their house to turn it [meter] off and turn it back on.”

City leaders in Florence will vote on the proposal to increase electrical fees on Thursday during a city council meeting.

A full list of the potential fee changes can be found below:

• New accounts will cost $100 (formerly $30);

• New reconnection fee would be $60 (formerly $40);

• New fees for meter tampering/unauthorized usage are $350 1st time & $500 each time after (formerly $150);

• Replacement fees for single-phase meter damage would be $150 and three-phase meter damage would cost $375 (new fees);

• Meter test if no problem is found (single-phase) would cost $50 which is up from $15;

• Meter test if no problem is found (three-phase) would cost $75 which is up from $15;

• Customer request (cutoff/on/tap up) during regular hours $100 per visit (formerly $30);

• Customer request (cutoff/on/tap up) after regular hours $225 per visit (formerly $60);

• Engineering fee $100 per hour (formerly $30 per hour).

You can find an agenda for Thursday’s city council meeting here.

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