As part of a series of actions that ultimately will give customers more options in how to pay their electricity bill, Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. announced that bill payment centers at company facilities will be phased out by Nov. 30, 1996.

The changes, which will save PP&L about $1 million a year in payment processing costs, do away with the most costly bill processing methods while extending new services to PP&L customers, said Thomas C. Stathos, manager-Customer Programs & Support.

"We want to give customers a range of convenient payment options that are cost effective for PP&L," Stathos explained.

In-person payments are costly for PP&L to process. It costs the company more than $1 to process a bill paid at a PP&L facility, as opposed to 12 cents for a bill paid electronically through PP&L's Automatic Bill Payment option.

PP&L operates payment centers in Allentown, Harrisburg, Lancaster and Montoursville. Nine other PP&L facilities accept drop box or walk-in payments.

As walk-in payments at PP&L facilities are phased out, PP&L will do more to promote existing, convenient payment options, including Automatic Bill Payment, pay by phone and pay by personal computer.

In addition, the company will be adding new payment options by the end of the year. PP&L customers will be able to pay their electricity bill by credit card, bank card or gift certificate. PP&L plans to pilot a gift certificate program in the fourth quarter of 1996.

"As we work to improve service by making these changes, we realize that a small percentage of customers may have no alternative but to pay in cash at a walk-in facility," Stathos said.

To serve those customers, PP&L will reorganize its network of third-party payment centers — places such as bank branches and stores where customers may pay their PP&L bill.

The company will close some locations and open others in an effort to assure that third-party payment centers are located near the customers that need them and have extended hours for customers' convenience.