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This information is designed for residential and some small business customers including apartment and condominium owners and property managers. Quick personal help for other business service customers is available at
206.684.3000.
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Customers on a busy schedule may want to use the
City's Automated Voice Response Line at
206.684.4969. This is an automated system to open, transfer or close accounts for service with Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utility.
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How can I Open a City Utility Account? -- Electric Service
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To start your new service with Seattle City Light, the utility account representative will want your name, telephone number and place of employment, billing information if the bill does not go to you, and the service address. You will need to obtain a meter reading. See
How To Read Your Electric Meter. For assistance, please call
206.684.3000 or visit a City utility office listed under
payment locations.
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Your electricity service begins from the date you are responsible for your account.
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Will I Be Charged a Fee When I Open a City Utility Account? - Electric Service
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Your first bill will include an account service charge to cover the cost of starting service at a new address. This charge applies to new customers and to customers who change addresses within the City Light service area.
- The account service charges are:
- Residential $16.00
- Small General Service $30.00
- Medium General Service $52.00
- Large & High Demand General Service $144.00
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How do I Close a City Utility Account? -- Electric Service
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To permanently close your City Utility Account and end service with Seattle City Light, call 206.684.3000 or visit a City utility office listed under
payment locations. The utility account representative will want your name, service address, evidence of
How To Read Your Electric Meter and any final billing information. You can ask to discontinue electric service on the effective date if you are providing us with a meter reading you have obtained. Or you can notify us up to 15 days in advance if you are requesting that we read your meter or if you are willing to accept an estimated reading for your final bill.
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Can I view my account and electric bill online?
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There is a great deal of interest in viewing accounts and receiving electric bills online. Our customers have asked "When will online bill presentment be available?"- and rightfully so. Online bill presentment is a highly popular tool used by consumers to manage their personal finances. This is why we are happy to inform our customers that we are currently working on providing this service to Seattle City Light customers.
Transitioning to online bill presentment is proving to be a formidable project that requires the cooperation of many different business units. Additionally, we maintain our commitment to quality customer service and that means ensuring we prioritize service integrity. Our goal is to offer this service to customers as soon as possible. Please be sure that we will keep our customers informed as to when they can expect this service.
You may already be aware of our online bill payment service that was launched in December 2004. This service may be helpful to you because it allows you to see your account balance online and to pay it online. The URL is:
http://www.seattle.gov/light/accounts/onlinepayment.asp
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Can I learn more about my bill? (Residential Customers)
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Most residential customers receive a bill every two months. The bill shows electric consumption for the billing period and the rate charged. The bill shows when winter and summer rates apply.
If it would be easier for you to pay an average amount rather than have the amount vary from winter to summer, consider City Light's
Budget Billing Plan.
Use of electricity is measured by a meter, usually located outside your house. See
How To Read Your Electric Meter.
A City ordinance requires the meter to be safely and easily accessible for reading by a utility field representative during normal business hours. If your meter needs to be read and can't be read due to a locked gate, unfriendly dog, overgrown shrubbery or other reason, consumption will be estimated for that billing period.
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Who is Responsible for Paying the Bill?
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Seattle City Light holds the name of the customer on the account, co-applicants identified on the account, and adults in a house (spouse, domestic partner, roommates) who receive electric service responsible for paying the bill.
A more detailed explanation, and the ordinance that supports this policy, is available here: Bill Responsibility Details
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How can I protect myself from phone scams when the caller is claiming to work for SCL?
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City Light has received reports of persons posing as our employees or agents and requesting credit card information from our customers.
Do not automatically give out credit card information. If you doubt the legitimacy of a request for payment, call us at (206) 684-3000. Utility representatives can verify the status of your account and assist you with payments.
If you feel that you have been a victim of credit fraud, call the Seattle Police Department at (206) 625-5011, and your credit card issuer.
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Customer Service
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Call (206) 684-3000
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