Glossary of Retail Electricity Billing Terms

Common Billing Terms

Advanced Metering Charge
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for Advanced Metering Systems, to the extent that they are not recovered in a TDU’s standard metering charge. Acceptable abbreviation: Advanced Meter
Base Charge
A charge assessed during each billing cycle without regard to the customer’s demand or energy consumption.
Competition Transition Charge
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for nonsecuritized costs associated with the transition to competition. Acceptable abbreviation: Competition Transition.
Current Meter Read
The meter reading at the end of the period for which the customer is being billed.
Demand Charge
A charge based on the rate at which electric energy is delivered to or by a system at a given instant, or averaged over a designed period, during the billing cycle.
Energy Charge
A charge based on the electric energy (kWh) consumed.
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. Acceptable abbreviation: Energy Efficiency.
Fuel Charge
A charge approved by the Public Utility Commission for the recovery of the utility’s costs for the fuel used to generate electricity.
kW
Kilowatt, the standard unit for measuring electricity demand, equal to 1,000 watts.
kWh
Kilowatt-hour, the standard unit for measuring electricity energy consumption, equal to 1.000 watt-hours.
Late Payment Penalty
A charge assessed for late payment in accordance with Public Utility Commission rules.
Meter Number
The number assigned by the utility to the customer’s meter
Meter Charge
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for metering a customer’s consumption, to the extent that the TDU charge is a separate charge exclusively for that purpose that is approved by the Public Utility Commission.

Miscellaneous

Gross Receipts Tax Reimbursement
A fee assessed to recover the miscellaneous gross receipts tax imposed on retail electric providers operating in an incorporated city or town having a population of more than 1,000. Acceptable abbreviation: Gross Receipts Reimb.
Municipal Franchise Fee
A fee assessed to compensate municipalities for the utility’s use of public rights-of-way.
Nuclear Decommissioning Fee
A charge approved by the Public Utility Commission to provide funds for decommissioning of nuclear generating sites. Acceptable abbreviation: Nuclear Decommission.
Previous Meter Read
The reading on the beginning the period for which the customer is being billed.
PUC Assessment
A fee assessed to recover the statutory fee for administering the Public Utility Regulatory Act.
Sales Tax
Sales tax collected by authorized taxing authorities, such as the state, cities, and special purpose districts.
System Benefit Fund
A non-bypassable charge approved by the Public Utility Commission, not to exceed 65 cents per megawatt-hour, that funds the low-income discount, one-time bill payment assistance, customer education, commission administrative expenses, and low-income energy efficiency programs.
TDU Delivery Charges
The total amounts assessed by a TDU for the delivery of electricity to a customer over poles and wires and other TDU facilities not including discretionary charges.
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. Acceptable abbreviation: TDU Surcharges
Transition Charge
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for securitized costs associated with the transition to competition.