How to Understand Your Electricity Bill.
We know your energy bill contains a lot of information. We want to help you understand the key terms and the charges reflected in your monthly bill. Understanding its components can help you identify areas where you might save money and manage your energy consumption more effectively. Flip through the overview or watch our video to learn more. ⬇️
Key Components & Charges
Understand Your Usage
Understanding your usage starts with the basics – electricity is measured and billed in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Whether it’s normal usage or high energy culprits like HVAC, water heating, EV charging, or added appliances, tracking your usage over time helps reveal what’s truly driving your costs.
A kilowatt-hour is the unit used to measure how much electricity is used. One kWh = 1,000-watt appliance running for one hour or a 100-watt bulb on for 10 hours = 1 kWh.
Compare kWh across billing periods (monthly) or look at daily averages to spot trends and anomalies:
Multiply the kWh used by your per-kWh rate:
Example: Cost = 900 kWh x $0.12/kWh = $108
Lower thermostat setpoints, shift high‑use tasks to off‑peak, swap to LEDs, reduce water‑heater temperature, and unplug or schedule big appliances. For bigger savings, consider insulation, HVAC maintenance, or ENERGY STAR appliances.
