Customer Billing Concerns

Yukon Energy recognizes that customers have concerns about their electricity bills, particularly at a time when many Yukoners are experiencing affordability pressures. We sincerely apologize for the frustration, inconvenience, and uncertainty this has caused. 

Customers rightly expect their bills and account information to be accurate, timely, and easy to understand. We acknowledge that we are not meeting that standard for some customers, and we take that responsibility seriously.

To help address common concerns and provide greater clarity, we've compiled answers to frequently asked questions below.

FAQs

What happens if I haven’t received a bill for a while—do I still need to pay?

Yes, you still need to pay your bill. If you think you may have missed a bill or haven’t received one for a few months, please contact us. We can review your account, make sure your information is up to date, and explain any outstanding balance so there are no surprises.

We also encourage you to sign up for My Account, where you can:

  • View and pay your bills
  • Track your energy use
  • Update your account information

Why has it been difficult to reach customer service?

Our customer service team is working diligently to proactively review accounts and support customers on a case-by-case basis when issues do arise to ensure concerns are addressed accurately. Because each situation requires individual attention, response times may be longer than usual, and requests are being handled in the order they are received. While it may take up to a week for our team to respond, customers can be assured that every inquiry will receive a follow-up.

Are billing issues caused by inaccurate meter readings?

No. Your meter is accurate. Some issues have occurred in the billing system, not the meter. If there’s ever a discrepancy, we always return to the meter reading as the source of truth and correct your account if needed.

What is a multi-period bill?

A multi-period bill is a statement that includes more than one billing period. This can happen when a previous bill was delayed or adjusted, when estimated readings are replaced with actual readings or when corrections are made to your account.

How to read it:

  • Each section shows a date range, usage, and cost
  • The total is the sum of all periods

What it means:

  • It may look higher, but reflects multiple timeframes
  • It’s a catch-up or adjustment, not a single month of higher usage

Why do I receive estimated bills?

Estimated bills may occur when we’re unable to read your meter. Common reasons include snow or ice blocking access to the meter, or extreme cold temperatures that make it difficult and unsafe for meter readers to work in those conditions.

Now that the winter months are behind us, we’re revisiting sites that were a challenge to obtain actual readings from and improving how estimates are calculated.

What is causing ongoing billing delays?

The delays are linked to some issues within our billing system, including:

  • Actual meter readings collected in the field being incorrectly replaced by estimated readings.
  • Estimated readings that did not accurately reflect seasonal energy usage patterns, including lower-than-expected estimates during winter months and higher-than-expected estimates during summer months.
  • Incorrect calculations of interest on customer security deposits.
  • Missed, delayed, or inaccurate withdrawals from AutoPay accounts.
  • Inconsistent billing periods, including bills covering unusually short or irregular timeframes rather than the standard four- to five-week billing cycle.

We are working directly with the billing system partner to identify, prioritize, and resolve outstanding issues.

How many customers have been affected?

The number of customers affected varies by issue. Different issues have impacted different customers at different times and in different ways. While some issues have affected dozens of customers, others have affected hundreds. We recognize that even a small number of impacted accounts is significant, and we take that seriously.

We are reviewing accounts individually on an ongoing basis to identify and correct any issues, and we are working directly with affected customers to resolve concerns.

What is being done to fix billing issues?

We are taking action by working with our billing system provider to resolve issues, implementing additional manual account checks and increasing customer support.

We have also taken the following steps:

  • Enhanced account review and verification processes, including additional daily manual reviews of customer accounts and billing transactions.
  • Increased follow-up on accounts with estimated meter readings, including dispatching staff to obtain additional actual meter readings where required and providing customers with options to submit meter photos for verification.

How do I know I’m not being overcharged?

Your meter records your actual consumption, and we use that data to verify and adjust your bills as needed. If an estimated bill is higher than your actual usage for a billing period, any overpayment will be credited to your account once subsequent meter readings confirm the lower consumption.

Do billing errors happen often?

Bills are reviewed regularly, with issues addressed as they arise through ongoing monitoring that helps us quickly identify concerns, correct accounts, and continuously improve our processes.

What should I do if I have a concern about my bill?

Please contact us—we’re here to help. Our customer service team is happy to walk through your bill with you, compare it to your meter reading, and make corrections if needed. You can reach our customer service team at (867) 993-5565 or email us at billing@yec.yk.ca.

What oversight measures are in place to prevent this from happening again?

We are working closely with the Yukon Utilities Board, the independent regulator that oversees utility service, electricity rates and holds us accountable.

In addition:

  • We are increasing customer support and manual account reviews
  • We are working directly with our billing system provider to address root causes
  • We will provide monthly public updates to ensure transparency and accountability

What can I do if I’m facing a large bill?

If your bill is higher than expected and you're finding it difficult to pay them, we offer payment plan options to help you spread out the cost over several months. Just reach out to our customer service team.

How can I budget for and manage my bill payments?

If you need assistance managing your payments, please contact our customer service team. They can discuss available payment plan options and help find a solution that works for your individual circumstances.

Will I be charged a late fee?

No. We stopped issuing late fees immediately after learning of the issues with the system.