How to Read Your Electricity Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Solar Power) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:55:00 +0000

By Solar Power

Most households receive one four times a year. All but everyone who receives one thinks it could be lower. However, how many householders understand or could be bothered trying to understand the contents of their quarterly electricity bill?

Even people who deal with figures all day can be daunted by their domestic power bill. For many householders, six digit meter readings, kWh’s, and dollar amounts that rarely invoke joy, all contribute to make a document that is best hidden away in the filing system without further scrutiny. Or maybe not… Hopefully we can shed a little light on the subject.

Power or Energy?

“Power” and “Energy” are closely related terms and are often mistakenly interchanged. Simplistically, we have all heard of power in the Watt (W) or kilowatt (kW) rating of our light globes, vacuum cleaner, or vehicle. Power shows us how good something is at consuming our energy.

Broadly speaking, energy is a measure of the ability to make something happen.

The Kilowatt hour or kWh is simply a measure of the amount of electrical energy that we are consuming. An average domestic fridge will consume about 1.5 to 2 kWh in a 24 hour period. The average Australia household (whatever that may be?) consumes about 22kWh every day.

Meter Readings

The electricity meter (usually of the spinning disc variety) counts or keeps track of the electrical energy that your household is consuming and represents this as a series of digits on the meter. The person who reads the meter notes this number and it can then be subtracted from your last reading to give you the number of kWh that you have consumed in the subsequent number of days (the billing days).

To compare yourself to the average Australian household take the number of kWh you have consumed and divide this number by the number of Billing Days. Is it more than 22? Should it be?

Tariffs

Electricity supplied at your convenience or the Electricity Provider’s? This is the basis of the different tariffs. Tariff 11 aims to supply electricity for your usage when you flick the switch and this comes at a premium. The Off Peak tariffs including Night Rate (31) and Controlled Supply (33) endeavour to supply electricity to perform the task at hand but at a time that is more convenient to the Provider. Appliances using Off Peak must be hard wired in dedicated circuits so that the electricity supply can be controlled by the Provider. Hence your units of consumed energy are charged to you at the relevant rate or tariff and the result is the monetary itemization on the bill.

Household Energy Efficiency

Now consider the energy efficiency of your household. The following may contribute to a higher bill than is necessary:
• Inappropriate appliances,
• Inefficient or old appliances,
• Use of inappropriate tariff, and
• Ineffective appliance controls.

Post your response so we know if this has been of use by clicking on "How to Read Your Electricity Bill".