UNDERSTANDING YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

Transcription

1 UNDERSTANDING YOUR ELECTRIC BILL A GUIDE FOR BUSINESSES IN South Carolina Duke Energy 550 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC Duke Energy Corporation LU 6/13

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS notes Introduction... 3 Basic Billing Concepts... 4 Electric Energy and Demand... 4 Metering Electric Energy and Demand... 6 Understanding Electric Demand... 7 Integrated Demand... 7 How to Read Your Bill Statement... 9 Pricing Options Glossary of Terms

3 INTRODUCTION Understanding your electric bill is an important first step in lowering your energy costs. This guide provides you with simple and direct explanations of the components of your electric bill and how it is calculated. Many businesses have found they can lower their electric bills without impacting their operations. You may be able to reduce your energy costs by revising operating schedules, replacing inefficient equipment or selecting a different rate schedule. You can also take advantage of our energy efficiency and demand response programs: Smart $aver Incentives help you lower the initial costs of purchasing energy efficient equipment to help control your operating costs and improve your bottom line. Our PowerShare demand response program rewards your business for curtailing your energy usage during periods of peak demand. Energy Assessments can help you find ways to save energy, implement energy-saving opportunities and reduce operating costs. Please contact your Account Manager, or go to for more information. 14 3

4 BASIC BILLING CONCEPTS Glossary of terms (continued) ELECTRIC ENERGY AND DEMAND Multiplier Used to calculate actual usage for meters that register only a portion of kilowatts or kilowatt-hours used. The meter multiplier is normally shown on the face of the meter and is shown on the bill. Duke Energy measures electricity usage in two ways. The first measure is energy which is the quantity of electricity used, measured in kilowatt-hours (kwh), like that shown on your billing statement at home. The second measure is demand which is the rate of energy usage, measured in kilowatts (kw). The key to understanding your utility bill is to remember the difference between electric energy and demand. It may help to use the analogy of the odometer and speedometer in a car. The amount of energy used (kilowatt-hours) can be compared to miles driven, as shown on the odometer. Energy demand (kilowatts) is more like the speed or the rate at which the miles are driven, as shown on the speedometer. Tariff A document filed by a utility with a regulatory commission, listing the rates the utility will charge to serve its customers, along with terms and conditions. 100 watts 1,000 watts or 1 kilowatt If this same one-kilowatt load is operated for one hour, one kilowatt-hour (kwh) of electricity is used (1 kilowatt x 1 hour = 1 kilowatt-hour.) The kilowatt-hour is the most common unit for measuring electrical energy usage. Volt Unit of measurement of electromotive force. Watt The electrical unit of real power. The rate of energy transfer equivalent to one ampere flowing under an electrical pressure of one volt at 100 percent power factor. The rate of energy consumption. K ilowatts measure the demand, or rate of energy usage, at any point in time. K ilowatt-hours measure the total amount of energy used. Why does Duke Energy measure demand? Odometer (kilowatt-hours) Speedometer (kilowatts) Example: When you turn on an electric appliance, you create demand for power. This instantaneous amount of electricity demanded is measured in watts. A 100-watt light bulb, for example, demands 100 watts of electricity when it is energized. Ten 100-watt light bulbs would demand 1,000 watts (10 x 100 = 1,000) or 1 kilowatt (kw). So kilowatts measure the rate at which electricity is used. 4 We need to plan for the maximum electrical demand that could be expected from your business during the year. How we plan to meet your energy needs is similar to your decision process when you purchase a car. For example, if you want a car that can go up to 90 miles per hour, it needs to have a large enough engine. Even if you never actually get the chance to drive that fast, you plan for that possibility by buying a car with capacity to do so. Similarly, Duke Energy installs facilities to satisfy your highest energy demands, even though your operations may reach that level only a few times a year. We do this to provide adequate capacity for you on the Duke Energy system (generating plants, and transmission and distribution lines) and to ensure we properly size the equipment necessary to serve your business. By measuring demand, Duke Energy can better ensure that facilities are properly sized and that customers are charged appropriately for their capacity needs. This helps us to meet the energy needs of all our customers. See the Glossary on Page 12 for definitions of terms appearing in bold. 13

5 Glossary of terms Actual demand Maximum integrated (average) demand used by a customer during a billing period. Under Duke Energy s rate schedules, the demand is averaged over a 30-minute period. Ampere Unit of measurement of electric current. Basic facilities charge A monthly charge based on costs associated with metering, meter reading, billing, etc., exclusive of demand or energy consumption. Billing demand The demand value used for billing purposes on the customer s monthly bill. Demand The rate at which energy is delivered, measured in kilowatts (1,000 watts) and averaged over 30-minute intervals. Economy demand On a time-of-use rate, the amount by which the maximum off-peak demand for the month exceeds the on-peak demand. Energy The amount of electricity a customer uses during the billing period, in kilowatt-hours (kwh). In some cases, an electric meter registers only a portion of the kwh used, and a meter multiplier must be used to determine the customer s actual usage. Any multiplier, if applicable, is shown on the customer s bill. fuel adjustment clause An adjustment to a customer s bill used to recover Duke Energy s cost of fuel used to generate electricity. The state utility commissions conduct annual proceedings to evaluate fuel costs. After review, the commissions may order that rates increase or decrease to reflect changes to the cost of fuel only. Kilowatt (kw) A unit of electric demand or capability. Kilowatt-hour (kwh) A unit of electric energy. kw x hours= kwh Load Factor The ratio of the average electrical load divided by peak load during a designated period of time, expressed as a percent. As an example, if a business used 10,000 kwh during one month (720 hours) and had a maximum demand of 25 kw, then the load factor would be 56 percent. {10,000 kwh/(720 hours x 25 kw)} x 100% = 56% Most of Duke Energy s business and institutional customers in South Carolina are billed according to standard or time-of-use rates. Standard rates vary depending on the customer s demand for electricity and type of usage (e.g., for manufacturing purposes). Optional time-of-use rates vary by time of day, day of the week and season. Prices are lower during off-peak hours, on weekends and during the winter months. (See Pricing Options on page 11 for more information on rates.) Your bill may also show an outdoor lighting fee, if you use that service. ACME ENTERPRISES Account Number CHURCH STREET Verification Code 1 Bill Date 05/21/2012 Current Charges Past Due After 06/07/2012 Service From: APR 23 to MAY 23 (30 Days) Your next scheduled meter reading will occur between JUN 22 and JUN 17 PREVIOUS BILL AMOUNT PAYMENTS (-) Electricity Usage This Month Last Year Total KWH 52,920 N/A Days 30 N/A AVG KWH per Day 1,764 N/A AVG Cost per Day $ N/A NEW CHARGES (+) ADJUSTMENTS (+ OR -) AMOUNT DUE (=) $3, $3, $4, $0.00 $4, METER METER READINGS: MULTI- TOTAL RATE SCHEDULE AMOUNT NUMBER PREVIOUS PRESENT PLIER USAGE DESCRIPTION LGS-Large General Service KW Actual Demand 112 KW Billing Demand ,920 KWH Electricity Usage 4, Sales Tax Amount Due 4, Standard Rate Duke Energy offers a green power choice for customers Make a contributiion to the solution and support a cleaner environment with solar or wind power for as little as $4 a month. All contributions are tax-free and tax-deductible. Find our how at or call For ACME Correspondence: ENTERPRISES 4980 CHURCH STREET POBOX 1090 CHARLOTTE NC Account Number DUKE PHONE: Verification Code Bill Date 05/21/2012 RETURN THIS PORTION WITH YOUR PAYMENT TO THE ADDRESS BELOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR Current BUSINESS Charges Past Due After 06/04/2012 Service From: APR 10 to MAY 08 (28 Days) Your next scheduled meter reading will occur between JUN 08 and JUN 13 PREVIOUS BILL PAYMENTS NEW CHARGES ADJUSTMENTS AMOUNT DUE AMOUNT (-) (+) (+ OR -) (=) $1, $1, $2, $ L $3, METER METER READINGS: MULTI- TOTAL RATE SCHEDULE AMOUNT NUMBER PREVIOUS PRESENT PLIER USAGE DESCRIPTION Account Number B OPT-Optional Verification Code Power Srv, TOU 5 ACME ENTERPRISES Customer Amount Due Charge $4, CHURCH STREET KW On-Peak Actual Demand (Winter) GREENWOOD SC KW On-Peak Current Charges Billing Demand Past Due After 06/07/ KW Off-Peak Actual Demand ,880 KWH On-Peak Energy (Winter) ,520 KWH Off-Peak Energy ,092 KWH FL - Flood Lighting KWH FL - Flood Lighting PO BOX Previous Months Adjustment CHARLOTTE NC Municipal Fee Total Amount Enclosed $ Amount Due 3, Visit us at Electricity Usage This Month Last Year Total KWH 37,804 43,004 Days AVG KWH per Day 1,350 1,344 AVG Cost per Day $90.06 $73.67 Time-of-Use rate 12 5

6 Peak Time Winter Months Peak Time Summer Months Peak Time Winter Months Oct. 1 May 31 Monday Friday 6 a.m. 1 p.m. Peak Time Summer Months June 1 Sept. 30 Monday Friday 1 p.m. 9 p.m. All other weekday hours and all Saturday and Sunday hours are considered off-peak hours. metering electric energy and demand The meters used at residences and some small businesses register only electrical energy usage in kilowatt-hours (kwh). The meter continuously measures the number of kwh used. At the end of each billing period (typically 30 days), a kwh reading is obtained from the meter. The previous month s reading is then subtracted from the new reading to determine kwh consumption. In some cases, the meter registers only a portion of the kwh used, and a multiplier is used to determine actual usage. The multiplier, if applicable, is shown on your billing statement. Meters at most businesses, however, measure both kilowatt-hours (energy) and kilowatts (demand). Kilowatts measure the average rate at which kilowatt-hours are used during a certain time interval. The time interval used by Duke Energy is 30 minutes. Example: If a 10-kW electrical load (like a commercial oven) is operated for 30 minutes, the demand register on the meter will record 10 kw. During this same 30 minutes, the kwh register on the meter will record the use of 5 kilowatt-hours (10 kw x ½ hour = 5 kwh). The demand register will retain this 10-kW demand unless higher demand occurs during any subsequent 30-minute interval during the billing month. on-peak demand On-peak billing demand is calculated as the largest of the following: The maximum integrated 30-minute demand during the applicable summer or winter on-peak hours for the current bill 50 percent of your contract demand 15 kw. Generally, if your business operates during hours outside the typical workday of 8 to 5, five days a week, you may benefit from a time-of-use rate. Examples of where this would be beneficial are businesses open six or seven days a week such as a convenience store or retail business. Businesses with significant energy usage on weekends or late evening hours such as an auto dealer, restaurant or theater could also benefit. However, time-of-use is not likely to be advantageous to customers using less than 2,500 kwh per month. 6 See the Glossary on Page 12 for definitions of terms appearing in bold. 11

7 Pricing options A number of rate schedules are available for business and institutional customers. Other pricing options may be available based on your specific circumstances please check with your Account Manager for more information. Principal electric pricing options Rate Schedule SGS Small General Service Schedule LGS Large General Service Description Available to the individual customer with a kilowatt demand of 75 kw or less. If the customer s measured demand exceeds 75 kw during any month, the customer will be served under Schedule LGS. Available to the individual customer with a kilowatt demand of more than 75 kw. If the customer s measured demand is 75 kw or less for 12 consecutive months, the customer will be served under Schedule SGS. For Schedule SGS and Schedule LGS, demand is calculated as the largest of the following: The maximum integrated 30-minute demand for the current billing period 50 percent of contract demand. When you apply for service, you and Duke Energy come to an agreement on the maximum electrical demand that could be expected from your business. This provides adequate capacity for you on the Duke Energy system and allows Duke Energy to properly size the equipment necessary to serve your business. 50 percent of the maximum integrated 30-minute demand during the billing months of June through September 30 kw Schedule I Industrial Available to businesses classified as manufacturing industries by the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual, provided that more than 50 percent of the electric usage is for manufacturing processes. Where the company has verified that all environmental space conditioning is supplied electrically, an alternate billing demand provision applies (I all-electric), resulting in a lower bill on an annual basis. For Schedule I, demand is calculated as the largest of the following: The maximum integrated 30-minute demand during the last 12 months (Schedule I) or the maximum integrated 30-minute demand for the current billing period (Schedule I all-electric) 50 percent of contract demand. When you apply for service, you and Duke Energy come to an agreement on the maximum electrical demand that could be expected from your business. This provides adequate capacity for you on the Duke Energy system and allows Duke Energy to properly size the equipment necessary to serve your business. 50 percent of the maximum integrated 30-minute demand over the previous 12 months (Schedule I all-electric) 30 kw Schedules OPT-G, OPT-I and OPT-H Time-of-Use Available to nonresidential customers. Charges vary according to the time of day, day of the week and season when energy is used. Prices are lower during off-peak hours, on weekends and during winter months. These rates are more likely to be advantageous to customers with a high load factor, or other customers who have a significant portion of their usage occurring during off-peak times. OPT-G is available to general service customers. OPT-I is available to industrial customers. OPT-H is available to customers with an annual load factor of 75 percent or more and at least 1,000 kw, in a new establishment or an existing establishment with a SIC code of 7373 or On-peak and off-peak hours differ according to the season. An economy demand charge is applicable if off-peak demand exceeds on-peak demand during the billing month. Understanding ELECTRIC demand INTEGRATED DEMAND A demand meter measures the maximum 30-minute integrated kilowatt demand during the applicable billing period. Since the demand measurement is integrated, or averaged over each 30-minute period during the billing month, short periods of intense use, such as the start-up of a motor, may have minimal impact on the registered demand. At the end of the billing period, Duke Energy records both the kilowatt-hour and the maximum 30-minute integrated kilowatt demand readings from the meter. The demand register is then reset so it can measure maximum demand for the following billing period. Example: 30 Minute Integrated Demand Profile This example illustrates how demand is calculated for an office with about 4,500 square feet of space, during the summer. For the first 10 minutes, the lights are on and the cooling system is running. During the next 5 minutes, the air conditioning system cycles off, but several pieces of office equipment (computers, printers and a copy machine) are in use. During the last 15 minutes, all the equipment is in use and the air conditioning system cycles on. The resulting integrated demand for this 30-minute period is illustrated below. Demand (kw) Demand (kw): Time (Minutes) Lights & Cooling Lights & Equipment Lights, Equipment & Cooling 30 kw x 10 minutes + 18 kw x 5 minutes + 36 kw x 15 minutes = 30 minutes 30 minutes 30 minutes 10 kw + 3 kw + 18 kw = 31 kw Even though the maximum demand was 36 kw, the integrated demand is only 31 kw for this 30-minute interval. 10 See the Glossary on Page 12 for definitions of terms appearing in bold. 7

8 how to read your bill statement Example: 24-Hour Integrated Demand Profile Continuing with our small-office example, demand is low in the early morning hours, since most of the equipment is off. Maybe only a few exterior lights and the security system are on. As the business day begins, all the lights and equipment are turned on and workers begin to arrive, producing a small peak in the early hours. Then, as the outside temperature warms, the need for cooling inside the office increases, and the cooling system has to respond. Note the highlighted area between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. This represents the 30-minute interval discussed in the previous example. Demand finally reaches a peak at about 4 p.m. Then, as business winds down, the outside temperature cools and the cooling system begins to cycle on and off for longer intervals, demand begins to drop. After the business closes down for the evening, demand returns to its minimal level. Demand (kw) BILLING DEMAND Demand During Each Interval Quantity of Energy Consumed Highest Demand of the Day 30-Minute Demand Interval For this example, the maximum 30-minute demand for the day was 34 kw and the total energy consumed was 461 kwh Time (Hours) If you have demand readings indicated on your billing statement, you will notice two separate entries for demand. One is actual demand (or that measured by the meter) and the other is billing demand. Your electric bill is based on billing demand, which may not be the same as actual demand for the billing period. Billing demand is based on several factors depending on the rate schedule. 1. Name and Address Information This is the name on the account and the address where service is provided. 2. Billing Period Shows the dates of the previous and present meter readings and the number of days included in this billing period. 3. Billing Summary Provides a quick summary of the most recent charges, payments and total amount due. 4. Billing Details Lists the specific items included in the calculation of the bill. 5. Energy Use and Cost Information Compares the energy use and average daily cost for this month with the same billing period last year. If data for a billing period is not available, N/A will be shown. 6. Messages Check this section of the bill statement each month along with any bill inserts for important information from Duke Energy. 7. Customer Service Contact us 24 hours a day, seven days a week for information about your account or any of our programs or services. 8. Payment Stub Please return this portion of the bill statement along with your payment each month. Be sure the payment address shows through the window of the return envelope, and write in the amount you are enclosing. 9. Phone Number Duke Energy uses your phone number to respond to your outage calls more quickly. The phone number we have on your account will be shown here each month. If it is incorrect, please submit corrections by following the instructions on the back of the bill. 10. Amount Due Shows the total amount due. 11. Next Meter Reading Shows the range of dates during which the meter is scheduled to be read. 12. Account Information Displays the account number, bill date and the date after which the bill is considered past due. For More Information Please refer to the back of the bill statement. 1 ACME ENTERPRISES 12 Account Number CHURCH STREET Verification Code 1 Bill Date 05/21/2012 Current Charges Past Due After 06/07/ Service From: APR 23 to MAY 23 (30 Days) 11 Your next scheduled meter reading will occur between JUN 22 and JUN 27 3 PREVIOUS BILL AMOUNT PAYMENTS (-) NEW CHARGES (+) ADJUSTMENTS (+ OR -) AMOUNT DUE (=) $3, $3, $4, $0.00 $4, METER METER READINGS: MULTI- TOTAL RATE SCHEDULE AMOUNT NUMBER PREVIOUS PRESENT PLIER USAGE DESCRIPTION LGS-Large General Service KW Actual Demand KW Billing Demand ,920 KWH Electricity Usage 4, Sales Tax Amount Due 4, Electricity Usage This Month Last Year Total KWH 52,920 N/A Days 30 N/A AVG KWH per Day 1,764 N/A AVG Cost per Day $ N/A ACME ENTERPRISES 4980 CHURCH STREET CHARLOTTE NC PO BOX CHARLOTTE NC Our records indicate your telephone number is If this is incorrect, please follow the instructions on the back of the bill. A late payment charge of 1.5% will be added to any past due utility balance not paid within 25 days of the bill date. Duke Energy offers a green power choice for customers Make a contribution to the solution and support a cleaner environment with solar or wind power for as little as $4 a month. All contributions are tax-free and tax-deductible. Find our how at or call For Correspondence: PO BOX 1090 CHARLOTTE NC DUKE PHONE: RETURN THIS PORTION WITH YOUR PAYMENT TO THE ADDRESS BELOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS L 10 Account Number B Verification Code 5 Amount Due $4, Current Charges Past Due After 06/07/2012 Total Amount Enclosed $ Visit us at 8 See the Glossary on Page 12 for definitions of terms appearing in bold. 9