Electric bill terms: T

Tariff Rate structures

The official document that sets the rates, the charges and the rules of a utility. A state commission or the board of the utility approves it. This site uses the tariff of each utility for each value.

Also called: electric tariff, rate book.

See also: Rate schedule, Rider.

Tax adjustment credit Riders and adjustments

A credit that returns money to customers after a change in tax law, for example the 2017 federal tax cut.

Also called: tax savings credit, ADFIT credit.

On this site: AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) RS, AES Ohio RS, CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric Residential, PSE&G RS.

See also: Bill credit.

TDU (delivery company) Suppliers and the electricity market

In Texas, the transmission and distribution utility, for example Oncor, CenterPoint or AEP Texas. It owns the lines, reads the meter and restores power after outages. Your retail electric provider bills you for its delivery charges, in the price per kWh or as separate lines.

Also called: TDU, TDSP, transmission and distribution utility.

See also: Retail electric provider (REP).

Test year Rate structures

The 12-month period of costs and sales that a commission uses to set rates in a rate case.

See also: Rate case.

Therm Units and basics

A unit of natural gas energy: 100,000 BTU. Gas bills use therms or hundreds of cubic feet (CCF). Electric bills use kWh.

See also: British thermal unit (BTU).

Tiered rate Rate structures

A rate with steps. The first block of kWh has one price, and the next block has a different price.

Also called: block rate, tiered pricing.

See also: Inclining block rate, Declining block rate.

Time-of-use rate (TOU) Time of use

A rate where the price per kWh depends on the time of day. Electricity costs more in the on-peak hours and less at other times.

Also called: TOU, time of use, time-of-use plan.

See also: On-peak, Off-peak.

Transition charge Riders and adjustments

A charge from the change to retail competition. It recovers costs of old power plants or contracts. Some transition charges are now credits.

Also called: competitive transition charge, CTC.

On this site: CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric Residential, Eversource (Connecticut) Rate 1, Eversource (Massachusetts) R-1, Florida Power & Light RS-1, National Grid (Massachusetts) R-1, National Grid (Upstate NY) SC-1 and 5 more.

See also: Retail choice.

Transmission charge Charges on the bill

The charge for the high-voltage lines that carry electricity from power plants to local systems. Some utilities put it in delivery, others in supply.

Also called: transmission service charge.

On this site: Atlantic City Electric RS, Ameren Illinois DS-1, Appalachian Power (Virginia) R.S., BGE R, ComEd Rate BES / Rate RDS, Delmarva Power R and 16 more.

See also: Distribution charge.

Transmission cost recovery factor (TCRF) Riders and adjustments

A charge that updates the transmission costs between rate cases. Texas delivery companies use it.

Also called: TCRF.

On this site: AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) RS, AES Ohio RS, APS (Arizona Public Service) R-1, APS (Arizona Public Service) R-3, APS (Arizona Public Service) R-EV, APS (Arizona Public Service) TOU-E and 11 more.

See also: Transmission charge.

True-up Your bill and account

A bill that compares what you paid with what you owe for a longer period, for example a year of net metering or budget billing. You pay or get the difference.

Also called: true up bill, annual true-up.

See also: Net metering, Budget billing.

Typical bill Your bill and account

A sample bill that a utility or commission publishes for a usage level, often 1,000 kWh. This site uses typical bills to check its results.

Also called: typical monthly bill.

See also: Bill calculator.

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