Prepay Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I enroll?
To enroll, call our Customer Contact Center at 1-800-368-3749. A Contact Center Representative will verify if you are eligible for the Prepay program.

2. What are the requirements to participate in Prepay?
Residential customers taking service under Rate Schedule No. 1, General Purpose Residential Service, with qualifying Advance Metering Infrastructure and technology. Must provide a mobile phone number with SMS text messaging and/or an email address and be willing to receive messages from the Company to participate. If you choose to receive messages via SMS text, standard text messaging rates will apply.

3. Can I participate in Prepay and continue to be enrolled in Budget Billing (Levelized Billing Plan)?
No. If you are currently enrolled in Budget Billing, you will be unenrolled from those programs during the Prepay enrollment process. Once you are removed from these programs, any accumulated bill difference will be owed as part of your final bill on your account that must be paid to complete enrollment in prepay and activate your Prepay account.

4. Are programs like Budget Bill, Auto Pay, or Pick a Date available with the Prepay program?
No, these programs are not offered with Prepay. If you are enrolled in any of these programs, they will be removed from your new Prepay account.

5. Will I be required to pay a deposit?
No. For customers with a deposit on their existing account, the deposit will be applied to the Prepay account. The deposit will first be used to pay any outstanding balance(s). Any remaining amount will be applied as a credit on the Prepay account. If there is a history of tampering on your account, the Company will retain any existing tampering deposit. The Company maintains the right to assess a tampering deposit if it is determined tampering has occurred while on Prepay. To participate in Prepay you will need to make an initial payment to bring your Prepay account balance to at least $25 within three business days of your enrollment request.

6. What happens if I don’t make the minimum payment within three business days of calling to enroll?
For new customers, your request for new service will be canceled. For existing customers, your request to enroll in Prepay will be canceled, and you will remain on your existing service.

7. Will I still receive a monthly bill?
No. Monthly bills will be replaced with automated email and/or text notifications based on your frequency of communication preference(s).

8. Can I set up payment arrangements such as Deferred Payment Arrangements, or DPA, or payment extensions to my Prepay account?
No. Customers participating in Prepay are not eligible for payment arrangements. However, you control when and how much you prepay toward your account balance for electric services. Negative balances accrued during disconnection exceptions (such as a weather event) are payable effective immediately once the disconnection exception has ended.

9. What if I need a DPA because of circumstances related to the issuance of a medical certificate or weather moratoriums?
A customer who has the need for a DPA because of a medical certificate or after a weather moratorium may enter into a DPA, if requested. However, the customer will be moved to post-pay service during the term of the DPA, and the customer must request to be re-enrolled in Prepay after the DPA has been paid in full, or once the customer’s arrearage balance is equal to or less than $200.

10. Can I view my Prepay account online?
Yes. If you are currently enrolled in myEntergy (desktop or mobile application) you can link your new prepay account to your existing profile. To sign up for myEntergy, please visit myEntergy.com to enroll.

11. Will I still receive a paper disconnect notice?
No. Paper disconnect notices will be replaced with automated email and/or text notifications based on your communication preference(s).

12. How will I know if my account balance is getting low?
You will automatically receive a low balance notification once your account balance reaches $20. An optional second notification may be set at a different dollar value threshold.

13. What happens if my account balance reaches $0.00 or below?
If your account balance reaches $0.00 or below, your account is subject to disconnection. You should make a payment as soon as possible to avoid disconnection or make at least the minimum suggested payment at an authorized Quick Payment Center or online to be reconnected. Once your service has been disconnected, you must bring your Prepay account to at least $25.00 positive to be reconnected. To find an Authorized Payment Center near you, please visit myEntergy.com/s/makepayment, scroll down to “Pay in Person” and click the link “Find Quick Pay Center” to search within your zip code.

14. When will I be disconnected when my account balance gets below zero?
In general, service disconnection will occur the next business day after a negative prepay account balance has been reached. You will receive a notice when your account balance has reached or dropped below $0.00 notifying you of the disconnection date and the minimum suggested amount that will need to be deposited to your account to avoid disconnection on the next day. Disconnections scheduled to occur during weather moratoriums, after 5 p.m. on weekdays, or on Saturday or Sunday will not be disconnected and instead will be rescheduled for disconnection on the next business day. Customers will not be disconnected on Company-observed holidays. Customers with a medical certificate under General Service Rule, or GSR, 6.17 and customers identified pursuant to GSR 6.18 Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities who choose to continue to be registered as provided in GSR 6.18 may postpone suspension of service consistent with GSRs 6.17 and 6.18, except that after the suspension postponement if the customer is delinquent, the customer will be disconnected unless payment is received. Any accrued negative balance is due immediately.

15. How can I make payments on my Prepay Account(s)?
Payment methods are the same for Prepay and post-pay customers. The following methods of payment are currently available:

  • Pay in Person – Cash, Check or Money Order at one of the authorized Quick Pay Centers in your community. A convenience fee may apply.
  • Pay online at myEntergy.com - Credit/Debit card or electronic check ($1.60 service fee)
  • Pay online at myEntergy.com - ACH (no service fee)
  • Pay by Phone – Credit/Debit card or electronic check. 1-800-584-1241, Bill Matrix, our pay by phone provider ($2.75 service fee)
  • Pay by mail – not recommended for Prepay, as it may take a few days for a check to reach us by mail.

16. Can I make payments with a debit or credit card?
Yes, you can pay by debit or credit card. You will be subject to fees per transaction. You can pay online at entergy.com, select the pay by credit or debit card online option. Click learn more to make payment through the Bill Matrix website, for a $1.60 service fee. You can pay by phone by calling 1-800-584-1241, Bill Matrix, our pay by phone provider. Note – you will be subjected to a charge of $2.75 service fee for each payment made.

17. Can I manage my Prepay account from my smartphone?
Yes. You can manage your prepay account from your smart phone two ways: Download the Entergy mobile app via the Apple app store or the Google play store. You can log in with your same myEntergy username and password. If you don’t want to download the app you can visit the myEntergy mobile account management site at myEntergy.com.

18. What happens if I currently have a payment arrangement set up on my account and want to enroll in Prepay?
If you have a payment arrangement on your account, once your outstanding balance is less than or equal to $200, you may enroll in Prepay and transfer the outstanding balance to your Prepay account. Thereafter, any payments made on your Prepay account will be applied 25% to the outstanding balance and 75% toward current electric service.

19. What happens if am a few months behind on my current electricity bill and want to enroll in Prepay?
Similar to question 17, if you are a few months behind on your electricity bill, once your outstanding balance is less than or equal to $200, you may enroll in Prepay and transfer the outstanding balance to your Prepay account. Thereafter, any payments made on your Prepay account will be applied 25% to the outstanding balance and 75% toward current electric service.

20. Will I still be able to receive financial assistance on my Prepay account?
Yes. Prepay customers will still be able to receive financial assistance.

21. Is there a penalty for leaving the program?
If you leave the program, you are not eligible to re-enroll for 12 months. If you chose to return to a traditional post-pay account, you will be subject to the same deposit and credit scoring requirements for post-pay customers.

22. Do I have to sign a contract?
No. You do not need to sign a contract to participate in Prepay.

23. What happens if my account is disconnected for non-pay for 14 days or longer?
Just like today, if your power is turned off for 14 days or longer, your Entergy account will be closed. If you choose to restart service, you will need to call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) for reconnection.

24. Are there any disconnection or reconnection fees?
No. There are no disconnection or reconnection fees. However, your account balance must be brought to a positive $25 to be reconnected.

Prepay terms of service

Welcome to Prepay! Prepay is a “pay as you go” program offered by Entergy Arkansas where you are in control.  There are no required security deposits, except in cases of tampering, and the program offers you the ability to structure your energy payments in a way that best fits your needs.

Prepay allows you to view your daily usage and costs online, receive notifications about the status of your Prepay account(s), and eliminates the requirement for large security deposits, late fees and reconnection fees.

Prepay features

  • No security deposit required
  • You will no longer receive monthly bill statements (either electronic or paper bills)
  • Account balances are updated daily to reflect your daily usage and costs, eliminating large end-of-month bills
  • You can electronically monitor your daily usage and costs
  • No late payments, disconnection or reconnection fees are assessed under Prepay
  • Payments can be made at your convenience

Interruption of utility service

You are required to have a positive balance on your account except as otherwise noted. If your account balance is equal to or less than $0.00, Entergy Arkansas may interrupt your utility service as soon as the next business day if a sufficient payment to bring your account balance positive is not received within the timeframe described in the electronic disconnection notification that you will receive. If this happens, your utility service will cease until restored with the required positive balance on your account, which is $25. In some circumstances, Entergy Arkansas will not interrupt your utility service in accordance with the Commission-approved Company policies even if your account balance is equal to or less than $0.00.  For example, on days where the weather exceeds or is below a certain temperature, disconnections may be temporarily suspended. In such instances, interruption of your utility service may be delayed until the next eligible business day. If, for any reason, you continue to receive service when your account balance is equal to or less than $0.00, your account will continue to accrue all charges for the service received and you will be required to pay these charges. As a participant in Prepay, you may experience more frequent disconnection notifications and service interruptions if your account balance is not kept positive, but no late payment or reconnection fees are assessed while you are on Prepay.

Other things you should know About prepay

Payment arrangements (Deferred Payment Arrangements and payment extensions), other than an initial payment arrangement created during the enrollment process, are not available on Prepay accounts. Existing payment arrangements on an account will be rolled into the new Prepay account.

  • Budget billing is not available for Prepay accounts.
  • Level Billing is not available for Prepay accounts.
  • Auto Pay is not available for Prepay accounts.
  • Pick a Date is not available for Prepay accounts.
  • An email and/or text notification for low balance is available. By default, you will receive a low balance alert if the account credit balance falls below $20. SMS charges may apply.

The Prepay Terms of Service are subject to modification at the discretion of Entergy Arkansas and subject to approval by its regulators to the extent required.