- Account Information – The bill should include your name, account information, address, and an invoice number.
- Amount Due – Your provider will list the amount you currently owe and when it is due. There will be an itemized breakdown of the various items that make up the amount due, so you can see what you are being charged for. They will also probably list when the payment will be considered late and what late charges you will be charged.
- Readings – There should be two different readings here: your current usage and your previous usage. The difference is what you are being charged for this billing cycle. Note that you are probably using much more energy during the summer than you are during the winter, because of cooling costs. Another thing to look for is whether the reading is exact or estimated. Sometimes, a provider will estimate your monthly usage instead of actually reading your meter. This is an acceptable practice, but make sure you don’t get two estimated readings in a row. If you see this, give your provider a call.
- Your Rate – Somewhere on the bill, usually in the itemized breakdown, you should see your average rate being used to determine the cost of electricity for that billing cycle. This rate will probably be different from the rate you signed up for because you are not using exactly 1,000 kilowatt-hours. Any fees, such as a monthly fee or a transmission and distribution surcharge are averaged into the rate at an assumed usage rate of 1,000 kWh. So, if you use more than the 1,000 kWh, your effective rate will be lower than what you signed up for, but if you use less than 1,000 kWh, your effective rate will be higher than what you signed up for.
- Other Data – Some electricity companies provide helpful data such as a breakdown of average temperatures and usage for the past three billing cycles or how much CO2 you saved if you’ve chosen a renewable energy plan. If you're a data nerd like me, check to see what cool things you have on your bill.
- Contact Details – The provider will provide details for how to get in contact with them if you should have any questions about your bill or payment.
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