[CRFSaver]

It actually costs the company less money to accept a payment through an online bill pay then to accept it as a check or credit car payment. An electronic payment will cost the utility at most a penny in bank charge to clear it versus anywhere between 1-10 cents to process a check. The electronic payment will interface directly with their ERP system versus a check going into a lockbox and having to be processed, or into the company and having to be processed and sent via armored car to the bank or 2-3% for a credit card transaction

One of the things you can do is complain to your local Public Utility Commission about an unwarranted fee for collecting payment. Depending on how active your PUC or state or muci is about those things enough complaints could warrant the company having to get rid of it. At 4 bucks a pop that is pure profit for them.