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Payments & Utility Billing

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1. How do I open and close an electric utility account as a tenant or renter?

Services for rental units may use our online customer portal, Customer Connect, to open or close electric service. Payments & Utility Billing representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the South Main Street location. Customers may also call between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. A signed lease or landlord affidavit must be submitted within 10 days of establishing service. Leases may be emailed to customerservice@newark.de.us, faxed to (302)366-7169, or hand delivered to our South Main Street location.

2. Will Customer Connect automatically transfer or move my account over to a new City of Newark address?

No, in order to transfer from one service to another, you will have to contact a Payments & Utility representative at (302)366-7000, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

3. How do I open and close a water utility account as a tenant or renter?

Water, sewer, and stormwater services are directly associated with the property. Services that can be liened must remain in the name of the property owner. While tenants are unable to place the account in their name or establish a Customer Connect account under the name of the owner, you can make a one-time payment using the bill information on Customer Connect. Landlords can also fill out an Property Certification Form to have the bill or a bill copy mailed directly to you.

4. I am a new homeowner; how do I establish service in my name?

The buyer’s attorney will contact the City of Newark prior to your settlement. We simply request that you contact us after settlement to provide us with demographical information, such as telephone number(s), mailing address, additional account information, etc.

5. What information is required to establish service for a residential rental property?

A driver’s license or passport, social security number, a signed lease or landlord affidavit must be submitted within 10 days of establishing service. Leases may be emailed to customerservice@newark.de.us, faxed to (302)366-7169, or hand delivered to our South Main Street location.

6. What fees or deposits are required for residential electric service for new tenants?

New services for rental units require a minimum deposit of $300 to ensure the account has a $0 balance at termination. If an account is closed with a balance, the security deposit will first be applied to that and the difference will be mailed to the account holder. Security deposits are refundable after three years of good payment history or upon moving from the property. The refund process may take up to four weeks. In addition to the security deposit, a $30 non-refundable application fee will appear on the first bill.

7. What payment methods are accepted?

Visa, MasterCard, Discover, cash, money orders, and checks.

8. How do I pay my utility bill?

Payments may be mailed to P. O. Box 13447, Philadelphia, PA  19101-3447.  The City is required to utilize our local financial institution’s lockbox to process payments in a timely manner.  Residents who choose not to use this Philadelphia payment center, may use one of the following options:

• 24-hour automated payment system at (302)366-7000
• Customer Connect, online customer portal
• In person with a representative or the atrium drop box at 220 South Main Street, Newark
• Direct Debit and/or Budget Billing which enables your account to be automatically drafted from your credit card or bank account

9. What is Budget Billing?

Budget Billing or Equal Payment Program is a service that reviews your prior annual utility bill average. Once the average is calculated, a monthly draft occurs from your checking or credit card account for 11 months. On the 12^th month, customers are billed for the current bill and the reconciled balance (debit or credit). Customers must be on a preauthorized payment plan to participate in the equal payment program. The City reserves the right to remove customers from equal payment programs due to failed payments or unacceptable payment history.

10. How can I sign up for Preauthorized Payments (Direct Debit) or Budget Billing (Equal Payment plan)?

Customers can sign up for Preauthorized Payment or Budget Billing Plans by logging into Customer Connect. Select, “Preauthorized Payment” and choose a “Payment Plan Type.” Payment plans will draft your statement balance or budgeted amount from your financial institution each month on your due date.

11. What is the Customer Charge listed on my bill?

The customer charge is a flat charge to reduce the City’s sensitivity to various consumptions. It assists in the recovery of fixed costs incurred to provide service.

12. How do I make payment arrangements?

Payment arrangements are subject to approval and must be aligned with City Ordinance. Customers may contact Payments & Utility Billing to discuss payment arrangement options.

13. I need help paying my bills, what can I do?

There are several third-party agencies that assist with electric payments. The City of Newark also has an annual fund to help City residents. Contact our partnering agencies or Payments & Utility Billing Division for additional information.

14. Can I pay my ticket online?

Yes. Tickets can be paid at City of Newark's Parking Portal.

15. Do you offer rebates or incentives for energy conservation?

Yes, the City of Newark, in partnership with Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation helps residents and businesses reduce their energy use and save money through Efficiency Smart.  This program offers rebates, incentives, and more.

16. I disagree with the amount of my bill, what should I do?

Review your bill to see if the meter reading was an actual meter reading (MR) or a computer estimate (CE). If your meter reading was estimated, contact our office to provide an actual meter reading. If an actual meter reading occurred, evaluate any new appliances or behavioral patterns that may influence usage. Register for Customer Connect to monitor your interval usage for abnormalities. Our Payments & Utility Billing division is available to assist you in troubleshooting potential issues. If no apparent reason exists, meter tests are available at a cost of $70. This cost is waived if the meter tests outside of industry standards.

17. What is the “Energy Next” line on the bill?

“Energy Next” refers to the inclining rate structure of the bill. While our winter rates are traditionally flat, the summer rates are tiered at the first 250 kWh, next 750 kWh, and kWh in excess of 1,000 kWh.

18. How do I change the name on the bill?

Name changes can be updated with the submittal of marriage, divorce, or death certificates. New Castle County Recorder of Deeds may also be used for name changes and updates.

19. How can I register my address for medical emergencies?

Residents may register their address for medical emergencies by filling out the Life Support Certification form. Your medical practitioner must complete and certify this form. This will ensure that restorations are prioritized in the event of power failures, natural disasters, or non-payment service interruptions.

20. What is Customer Connect?

Customer Connect is an interactive web portal providing 24 hour access to review the most current and up-to-date account information. Customers can monitor usage, review data, enroll in electronic billing, remit one-time payments, make automatic payments, analyze bills, view billing information, update account information, create service order requests, and more.

21. Are my Customer Connect transactions secure?

Customer Connect is built with security in mind. The website has been certified to be secured for bank transactions. The site is encrypted with 128-bit encryption and is regularly verified to meet or exceed PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance standards. Your credit card information is not stored.

22. How can I link other accounts in Customer Connect?

Accounts sharing the same unique customer number (City identifier) will automatically link to both active and inactive accounts.

23. Am I able to establish alerts for usage in Customer Connect?

Alerts that were in the prior version of Customer Connect are currently unavailable.

24. I am experiencing issues with selecting a password for my Customer Connect account.

Please select a password with 7 alpha characters, at least 1 numeric value, and a special character.

25. Who do I contact for additional Customer Connect support?

Our Payments & Utility Division is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to assist you with Customer Connect navigation at (302)366-7000.