CUMMING — Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation has announced that members now have the ability to pay by e-Check online or through any of its other payment portals.

Blake House, vice president of member services for the company, said in a statement that the decision to move to online bill pay came in response to requests on a customer survey.

“After looking into it, we saw this as an easy opportunity to meet a need,” House said.

E-Checks simplify the check-writing process and are efficient, as it works the same as a traditional paper check from a bank, credit union or other financial institution.

Members who choose this option will not incur any fees in doing so.

Last month, the utility announced that all convenience fees for on-demand electronic payments would cease Jan. 1.

According to Sawnee EMC, e-Check payments post to the member’s account quicker than a paper check.

“We have invested in state-of-the-art encryption and protection software as an added layer of protection for our members,” said Ginny Ellis, Sawnee EMC’s chief financial officer.