Energy Usage & YOUR BILL

Retail Electric Providers offering electric service in deregulated areas of Texas may provide different billing formats; however, the following are some of the charges most likely to appear on your electric bill regardless of which provider you choose.

Base Charge – flat fee applied each month regardless of the amount of kilowatt (kWh) used.

Current Charges – the current charges for electric service as disclosed in your terms of service document, including applicable taxes and fees. If you are on a level or average payment plan, the level or average payment due shall be clearly shown in addition to the current charges.

Demand Charge – a charge based on the rate at which electric energy is delivered to or by a system at a given instant during the billing cycle. Energy Charge – a charge based on the electric energy (kWh) consumed.

Meter Charge – a charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for metering your consumption, to the extent that the TDU is a separate charge exclusively for that purpose that is approved by the Public Utility Commission. 

Recurring Charges – identifies and itemizes any recurring charges other than for electric service.

Non-Recurring Charges – identifies and itemizes any nonrecurring charges such as late fees, returned check fees, restoration of service fees, or other fees disclosed in the Retail Electric Provider’s Terms of Service Agreement.

Amount Due – balances from the preceding bill, payments made since the preceding bill and amount due with a checkbox for the customer to voluntarily donate money to the bill payment assistance program.

New Services or Products – notice of any new products or services being provided to the customer since the pervious bill.

Changes in Rates – any change in the customer’s rates or charges consistent with the Terms of Service Agreement, such as a variable rate feature or changes to regulatory charges

Late Payment Penalty – a one-time penalty of not more than 5% may be charged on a delinquent bill. Outstanding delinquent balances cannot be repenalized. Penalty does not apply to residential or small commercial customers of the Provider of Last Resort (POLR).

Sales Tax – sales tax collected by authoritized taxing authorities, such as the state, cities, and special purpose districts

Advanced Metering Charge – a PUC-authorized charge for electric delivery companies to recover the costs for their Advanced Metering Systems. This charge will be shared among all electricity in the TDU’s service territory. Your monthly charge will be added to your electricity bill for the next several years. For more information, including the length of the charge, contact your Retail Electric Provider.

Competition Transition Charge – a charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for nonsecuritized costs associated with the transition to competition.

Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Factor – a charge assessed to recover a TDU’s costs for energy efficiency programs, to the extent that the TDU charge is a separate charge exclusively for that purpose that is approved by the Public Utility

Commission. PUC Assessment – a fee assessed to recover the statutory fee for administering the Public Utility Regulatory Act.

REP Charges – Retail Electric Providers may bundle all charges as¬sociated with your electric service into the price per kWh or they may separate the charges using the following:

TDU Delivery Charges – charge to cover the cost of moving electricity from the generation plant to your home.

Transmission Distribution Surcharges – one or more TDU surcharge(s) on a customer’s bill in any combination. Surcharges include charges billed as tariff riders by the TDU.