Frequently Asked Questions
For questions regarding utility billing, call Customer Service at (816) 325-7930 or you can look at your bill on-line. In order to use the on-line service, you will need your account access code from your utility bill which comes in the mail.
You can also reduce your electricity bill by simply conserving energy. You will be helping yourself and our environment!
Second, if you have an overhead service line running from a pole to your house, consider having those lines converted to underground. Underground lines are less susceptible to storm damage and removing overhead lines from your yard can add to the aesthetics of your property.
IPL meters are read once a month by meter readers. Occasionally, meter readers cannot read a meter as scheduled because of weather or lack of access to the meter. In that case, IPL's billing system will generate an estimated bill, based on the customer's usage history. The customer's utility bill will be reconciled with the next on-site meter reading.
The most common cause of power outages is damage caused by storms. During thunder storms high winds can cause tree limbs to be blown into power lines. Lightning can also cause damage to the power distribution system, resulting in power outages.
The second most common cause of power outages is animals, such as birds or squirrels, coming into contact with power lines and creating a path for electricity to go to the ground. When this happens the circuit may open as part of safety measures on the electrical system, and an outage occurs.
Call (816) 325-7550 whenever you have a power outage. When you notify IPL of an outage, we will verify your address and ask you if you are seeing other problems such as lines down. This helps us to locate and correct the problem more quickly.
There are several different rate schedules for both residential and commercial customers. If you qualify for more than one electric rate, IPL will use the rate that is the least costly to the customer.
To verify that your electric service is being billed at the correct and least expensive rate for which you qualify, call IPL at (816) 325-7482.
Digging into underground lines can be deadly!
Before digging, call 1-800-DIG-RITE, 811 or online to make a request have underground power lines marked. They can usually be marked within 48 hours or sooner if it is an emergency. There is no charge for this service.
For information about electrical requirements for projects involving electrical work, contact the City of Independence at (816) 325-7401.
If you are considering hooking up a generator, you need to call IPL at (816) 325-7500 to let us know.
It is very important that generators be installed correctly, in order to prevent electricity from backfeeding into power lines on which our crews are working.
IPL tree trimming crews work year round to keep trees trimmed away from the main transmission and distribution lines of the electrical system. Trimming trees near the service line to a home, from the pole to the house, is the responsibility of the homeowner.
Call the IPL tree trimming department at (816) 325-7557 if you have questions or concerns regarding tree trimming.
Call (816) 325-7535 to report a streetlight out. IPL maintains all the streetlights and traffic lights on city roads.
Overhead electric service lines which run from the power pole to the house, can be buried through IPL's 'Out of Sight' program. Burying electric service lines helps to minimize the likelihood of electric outages and beautifies our neighborhoods.
IPL has several options available to customers making the program both convenient and affordable.
There are many resources available to help you learn about electrical safety.
Online resources:
IPL offers rebates to residential customers for the following qualifying high-efficiency electric equipment: