Crow Wing Power Member Information Privacy Policy
In accordance with Board Policy, Crow Wing Power (CWP) treats members’ personal information and electric use data as confidential. This privacy policy is aimed at protecting members’ personal information, which includes members’ telephone numbers, social security number, account information, e-mail addresses, payment history and electric use, including interval energy use data received from our digital advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). This Privacy Policy explains our practices and describes how your information is collected and used by CWP. In order to improve our system and member service, CWP will from time to time partner with a trusted party on projects that involve the use of member information. Such parties are required to abide by this privacy policy.
Privacy Statement
CWP believes that members own their personal information. CWP and its authorized third-party partners, will not release a member’s personal information to any other person or business entity not listed on a member’s account without written consent from the member, unless required by law or if necessary to allow a third party to collect delinquent amounts owed to CWP by the member.
When information is requested, CWP must first obtain written permission from the person(s) listed on the account which shall include verification of identity along with a signature. A third party may also obtain this information if they can show power of attorney.
In cases of death of a CWP member, family members may obtain this information if they can provide CWP with a death certificate and if they can show they are the proper legal representative of the estate.
What Information Is Collected?
We collect electric use information provided by our electric meters, and other personal information from your interaction with our website and apps, and from information voluntarily provided by you.
How Information Is Used
CWP uses personal information to administer member accounts and to provide members with information regarding their electric use. The information is also used internally to provide and improve member services and to manage business operations. When you register to use a CWP app, or related updates, we collect information that identifies you. We need this information to respond to your inquiries, to provide updates, or to provide services to you.
Some examples include:
- To generate members’ billing statements and to post payments to members’ accounts;
- To provide members with outage information;
- To provide members with peak alerts and important warning messages at the request of members;
- To enable members to see their energy use data via secure access on the Internet at the members’ option;
- At the member’s option to analyze energy use to help the member take advantage of programs offered by CWP;
- Member information may be shared with affiliates and partners of CWP that offer products and services to members;
- In legal proceedings in which we are a party or a third party, we may be required to give some access to your personal information in compliance with lawful requests; or
We may use your personal information when we have a good faith belief that the disclosure is necessary to protect ourselves against fraud, for reasons of cyber defense or to otherwise protect the property and safety of CWP, our members and users.
Is My Personal Information Secure?
We understand that the security of your personal information is important. We provide reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security controls to protect your personal information. However, despite our efforts, no security controls are 100% effective, and CWP cannot ensure or warrant the security of your personal information.
Where Does CWP Store My Personal Information
Your personal information and files are stored on CWP servers and the servers of companies we hire to provide services to us.
Behavioral Advertising
We use third party vendors, such as Google Analytics, that allows us to monitor user experience, device functionality, and improvement of our website. Accordingly, we may collect information about how you use our apps and website, including apps on your phone, desktop, or tablet. Our servers may receive date from your browser or device when you visit one of our websites or use an app. That data can include your IP address (which may tell us generally where you are located), and information about your phone, desktop, or tablet.
CWP Electronic News
CWP uses Electronic News Programs to keep members informed on subjects in which they’ve asked to be informed via Email. Through those programs, we can track behavior related to those emails, including whether you have received or opened an email, clicked a link in the email, or forwarded the email. If you do not want to receive those emails, you may opt out as noted on the bottom of the email you receive from CWP through those programs.
CWP Apps
We may offer various apps to allow members the ability to see various programs on different devices. Some of our apps connect to our servers and offer members the ability to install updates to the apps. We do not keep track of those transactions made by members.
CWP Social Media
CWP may participate in social media sites and provide information on sites like Facebook and Twitter, however users agree to those site’s policies.
Your Transaction History
We may collect information of your transaction history relating to the use of our services.
Electronic Bill Pay
When signing up for electronic bill payments, you agree to the following: “I authorize Crow Wing Power to initiate variable entries to my checking, savings or credit card account. This authority will remain in effect until I notify the cooperative at least four working days prior to the due date on my electric bill.
I can also stop payment of any entry by notifying the cooperative four business days before the due date on my electric bill. I can have the amount of an erroneous charge credited to my account up to 15 days following issuance of my bank or credit card statement or 46 days after posting, whichever occurs first.”
Once you have signed up for recurring payments, your electric bill will contain a message stating your bank draft or credit card charge date. The amount will be automatically deducted from your bank account or charged to your credit card on the due date shown.
Children Under the Age of 13
Our site and system are not designed for children, and we do not knowingly collect information from any person under the age of 13.
European Customers
Our site and system are not designed for doing business with European customers, and we do not knowingly collect any information from customers from Europe.
CWP welcomes comments regarding this privacy policy. If you have questions, please contact us at 218-829-2827 or 1-800-648-9401.