Westar Energy is seeking the permission to start offering their customers prepaid electricity service in Kansas. The company filed an application with Kansas Corporation Commission but a decision is yet to be made. If the request is granted, Westar will have to begin the prepaid service on a small scale under a pilot project with as many as 1000 customers.

Customers who opt for the service would not be required to make a security deposit; however, they would have to pay Westar $4 a month for the privilege. In order to qualify for the prepaid service, customers should not owe Westar more than $1000, be currently taking residential service and their home should also be equipped with advance metering. An email address is also necessary to foster communication with the company.

As the cold weather rule prohibits service shut offs during the winter, prepaid customers who owe the company money could see their energy usage reduced to a minimum, as Westar’s advanced metering system is able to throttle back energy usage. In addition, customers who use more electricity than they pay for will have the outstanding amount debited from future payments.

While prepaid isn’t prevalent in North Carolina, certain municipalities and coops have begun experimenting with the idea.   In other markets, such as Houston Texas, prepaid electricity plans  have become the norm.