Electric bill terms: A

Account number Your bill and account

The number that identifies your account with the utility. You need it to pay, to call the utility or to change your supplier.

See also: Service address.

Actual reading Your bill and account

A meter reading that the utility took from the meter. The bill shows if a reading is actual or estimated.

See also: Estimated bill.

Adjustment clause Riders and adjustments

A tariff rule that lets the utility change a charge when a cost changes, without a full rate case. Fuel adjustment clauses are the most common.

On this site: Alliant Energy (Interstate Power and Light) 400, Con Edison SC 1 Rate I, Entergy Louisiana RS, Evergy Missouri Metro RPKA, Evergy Missouri West RPKA, LG&E RS and 3 more.

See also: Rider.

Advice letter Regulators and the industry

A filing that a utility uses to make smaller tariff changes, for example in California.

See also: Tariff.

Air conditioner cycling Time of use

A program where the utility can turn your central air conditioner off for short times during peak events. You get a bill credit.

Also called: AC cycling, device cycling.

See also: Demand response.

Amount due Your bill and account

The amount that you must pay by the due date. It can include a past-due balance and fees.

Also called: total amount due.

See also: Due date, Past-due balance.

Ampere (amp) Units and basics

The unit of electric current. The size of a home service or a circuit breaker is in amps.

Also called: amps, amperage.

See also: Voltage.

Analog meter Meters and usage

An old meter with dials, or a meter that does not send data over a network. A meter reader reads it on site or by radio from a vehicle.

Also called: non-communicating meter, non-transmitting meter.

See also: Smart meter opt-out fee.

Ancillary services Suppliers and the electricity market

Services that keep the grid stable, for example reserves and frequency control.

On this site: SRP (Salt River Project) E-23.

See also: Wholesale electricity price.

Arrears management program Riders and adjustments

A program that forgives part of the past-due balance of low-income customers who pay their new bills. A charge pays for it.

Also called: arrearage management.

On this site: Con Edison SC 1 Rate I.

See also: Past-due balance.

Average daily usage Meters and usage

The kWh of the billing period divided by the days. It helps to compare bills with different numbers of days.

Also called: kWh per day.

See also: Usage history.

Average price per kWh Units and basics

The total of the bill divided by the kWh. It includes the fixed charges, so it is higher on a bill with low usage. The cost of one more kWh can be different from the average.

Also called: average cost per kWh, effective rate.

See also: Marginal price.

Avoided cost Solar and net metering

The cost that a utility does not have when a customer supplies the energy. Some states use it to set export credits.

See also: Export credit.

All terms · Terms: B →