Understanding Utility Rates

We have been involved with utility rates and Energy Management Computers for more than 25 years.

Most of us are used to or were raised on plain old flat rate or with consumption utility rates. The more you use, the more you pay; the less you use, the less you pay. It was simple to understand.

Utility companies still offer these rates, but they are only for lsmall electricity consumers who use 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month or less. This is hard for even apartment dwellers to do in the summer months.

With growing population and the need to manage existing utility plants more efficiently come different residential utility rates to address these issues.

That’s why there are time-of-Use and demand-based rates available. These rates are more advantageous costwise for homeowners than usage or flat consumption rates, and the incentive to understand and manage them as efficiently as possible exists for two reasons.

First, the utility companies have designed these rates to address the problem of how to manage the megawatts of their plants more efficiently.

Second, homeowners who have access to the rates can manage their consumption more efficiently and pay less.

We know how much your utility bill is by just asking a few questions. A rule of thumb is" one kilowatt-hour for each square foot in your high-consumption months, May through October.

Without an Energy Management Computer,
If you’re in a 2,200-square-foot home, you're using approximately 2200 kwh
If you have a pool, add 800 more kilowatt-hours to the party 800 kwh
Total Kilowatt Hours 3,000 kwh
We know the average homeowner pays 11½ cents per kwh x 11.5
Ouch! Your high summer bill $345
With an Energy Management Computer,
Identical kilowatt-hour usage 3000 kwh
Now the homeowner is billed at 8 cents per kwh x 8 cents
Voila! Your lower summer bill $240
What energy management saves you,
High summer bill without computer $345
High Summer bill with computer $240

SAVINGS

$105
That’s a 30% reduction of your utility bill!