Beginning January 1, 2026, Albemarle EMC will introduce a new electronic payment fee for credit cards and electronic check payments.  There is no impact on electricity rates or monthly electric bills. 

Members using credit or debit cards will incur a 2.45% transaction fee.  Electronic check payments will have a flat $1 service fee.  Members can avoid these fees by opting for alternative payment methods.  These fees are the actual cost accessed by our credit card processor and will not generate profits for Albemarle EMC.

Ways to avoid the Electronic Transaction Fees:

• Set up a checking account automatic bank draft. 
• Pay by cash or check in person at our office (125 Cooperative Way in Hertford) with a drop box feature available
• Mail in your payment by check (please allow up to seven days)

The reason for these changes: As a not-for-profit cooperative, our goal is not to generate profits for shareholders, like an investor-owned utility, but to ensure we cover the actual costs associated with providing reliable power to our membership.  To safeguard the financial health of your cooperative and to ensure we can continue delivering reliable power to all our members we must implement these fees to keep up with the increasing cost of payment processing.  This will ensure the cost of service is allocated fairly amongst all our membership.

For more information, visit our website at www.aemc.coop or contact our local office at (252) 426-5735