How to read your electric bill, line by line

Start with the account and service address, then find usage, charges and the amount due. Con Edison’s sample groups account details, service charges and the billing summary separately.^⁠[1] PG&E also lists the address where electricity was received.^⁠[2]

Utility Co.10 Example Lane874 kWh · sample usage

1. 1SupplyElectricity suppliedSee details
2. 2DeliveryThe delivery systemSee details

Current electric charges$150.59

Previous balance+ $20.00

Payment received− $10.00

Account credit− $5.00

Amount due$155.59

1. 1The electricity supplied
2. 2The system bringing it home
3. This period comes first
4. The account balance comes last

This guide uses a utility-style statement. If your building sends your electricity charges, keep its bill guide beside this one. Use the labels printed on your own document as you follow along.

Look in the service details for the billing period and electricity used. Con Edison’s guide puts the dates, meter readings, rate and usage there.^⁠[1] Electricity use is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh); one kWh is one kilowatt over one hour.^⁠[7]

Don’t assume subtracting the printed meter readings gives the kWh on your bill. Con Edison’s smart-meter sample adds up readings recorded at intervals during the billing period. Its printed monthly readings aren’t used for billing.^⁠[3]

An energy charge can be a usage-based line, but its meaning depends on the utility. Copper Valley Electric Association (CVEA) in Alaska calls its per-kWh delivery charge the “energy charge”.^⁠[9] Check the definition beside your own rate, rather than assuming the label means supply.

Con Edison defines supply as the electricity supplied to you, and delivery as maintaining the system that brings it.^⁠[3] Our guide explains what supply and delivery each pay for. Here, keep track of which charge each printed rate belongs to.

For a per-kWh line on your bill, multiply the listed usage by that line’s rate. CVEA, for example, bills its energy charge per kWh.^⁠[9] Keep dollars and cents consistent, and check which costs that line includes before adding anything else.

A customer charge can be a service fee that doesn’t depend on your kWh. PG&E uses that definition for certain rate plans.^⁠[2] Read the full label: similar names can describe different things.

A charge independent of usage isn’t necessarily identical on every statement. PG&E specifically notes the effect of billing days on its Base Services Charge.^⁠[2] Check both the definition and the dates before comparing amounts.

A fuel charge can reflect the cost to generate electricity; its exact meaning depends on the utility. CVEA says its fuel charge is billed per kWh, changes monthly and reflects actual costs to generate power.^⁠[9]

• Find the utility’s definition of the fuel line.
• Check whether the line shows usage and a per-kWh rate.
• Keep that adjustment separate from other rates as you read.

CVEA’s description doesn’t tell you another utility’s rate or how often it changes. Use your own statement’s glossary for that line. If the definition leaves you unsure, mark the line to ask about when you’ve finished reading.

The amount due combines current charges with account activity. Con Edison’s summary includes payments, new charges, unpaid charges and the balance due.^⁠[1] Its sample also shows negative adjustments reducing the balance.^⁠[3]

• The fictional sample starts with $150.59 in current electric charges.^⁠[4,5]
• It adds a fictional $20 previous balance, then subtracts a $10 payment and a $5 account credit.^⁠[1]
• The sample arithmetic is $150.59 + $20 − $10 − $5 = $155.59 due.^⁠[1]

Avoid counting taxes twice. Con Edison’s supply and delivery sections can already include related taxes and surcharges.^⁠[1] Follow the subtotals your statement actually prints, rather than adding a tax line again by habit.

A budget-plan payment also needs a separate check. National Grid’s Upstate New York plan bases the monthly charge on past usage and reviews it against actual usage and energy costs.^⁠[11] Don’t use that payment as this period’s electricity cost.

Match each printed rate to its units, usage and charge description. A bill can have more than one usage rate: PG&E’s time-of-use plans charge different rates at different times.^⁠[2]

To find your overall price per kWh, divide your electric charges by the kWh used during the same billing period. PG&E’s electric subtotal includes applicable credits and taxes.^⁠[2] Keep gas, earlier balances and previous payments out of that calculation.^⁠[1]

If a line is still unclear, use the billing contact on your statement. Oncor, for example, tells its readers to call their retail electricity provider at the number printed there.^⁠[15] Have the line’s name, period, usage and rate ready so you can ask what it covers.

Once the labels make sense, explore ways to lower your electric bill. If you’re planning ahead, you can also estimate an electric bill for your home. Keep that estimate separate from checking the statement in front of you.

You can connect your existing utility account to Public Grid. See how your energy use changes over time and spot opportunities to cut back.^⁠[16] Use this guide to check dates, usage and charges on your next statement.

Your electricity accountvia Utility Co.

Sample account

UsageTracked

BillsTracked