Message to Members Regarding COVID-19

Bon Homme Yankton Electric’s walk-in service is temporarily closed. Please call our office at (605) 463-2507 for assistance.

Update: Due to a rise in Covid-19 cases in Bon Homme and Yankton counties, as of Tuesday August 18, our office will once again be closed to the public. 

Update: On July 15th we reopened our office to the public.

As of Tuesday, March 17, walk-in service will be temporarily discontinued until further notice. Payments can be made via mail, pay by phone 24/7 (1-888-395-5315), and online via Smarthub. For any questions or to report an outage, please call (605) 463-2507. View our Payment Options page to see all options.

Dear Members:                                              

These are unprecedented times in our region, country and across the world. From social distancing to homeschooling your children due to school closures, we know you are dealing with many life changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As an essential services provider, Bon Homme Yankton Electric is here to continue powering your life.

To continue providing essential electric services, we have adapted several business practices. We’ve taken the following measures to keep our employees safe and healthy so that your co-op can continue providing the high level of service that you expect:

• Closed our lobby until further notice. Payments can be made via mail, pay by phone 24/7 (1-888-395-5315), our main office drop box, and online via Smarthub. For any questions or to report an outage, please call (605) 463-2507. 

• Implemented a rotating work from home schedule in the office and isolated line crews from each other to reduce our employees’ risk of exposure.

• Electrical and member service site visits have been reduced to emergency only situations.

We would like you to be prepared for longer than normal outage times if we have a widespread outage event. Crew isolation practices will still be adhered to and our external resources that we count on for extra manpower have also implemented COVID-19 protocols. These measures will slow restoration times but will ensure the health and safety of linemen aren’t compromised so that we continue to provide essential electric services.

Bon Homme Yankton Electric understands that there may be circumstances now and in the future that will impact the financial situation of our member-owners due to COVID-19. We ask that if you are having trouble paying your electric bill that you contact us at (605) 463-2507. We want to work with you by providing resources, work out a payment plan, waive late fees, and by all means avoid disconnection, but we need you to contact us.

Between the State of South Dakota and the Federal Government, there are benefits available to individuals and businesses that have been financially impacted by COVID-19. To find an extensive list, got to https://covid.sd.gov . Scroll down the page to South Dakota State Government Resource Directory.

As your local Touchstone Energy® Cooperative, Bon Homme Yankton Electric is here for you through these trying times. The seventh cooperative principle is concern for community. By pulling together as a community, we will emerge from this stronger. Take care and stay healthy.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Horst

General Manager