Understanding your usage

Your monthly bill is affected by the price and amount of energy you use. How much energy you use can vary from day to day depending on how many people are in your home, your daily habits, the time of year and even the average temperature outside.

Understanding your electricity usage is key to managing your energy costs and making informed decisions about your energy consumption.

To see your electrical usage visit My Account.

My Account

Usage views

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My Account energy usage reports

  1. Cost and usage view options
  2. Your energy usage by time of day
  3. Total kWh this period
  4. My Energy Tools
  5. Energy savings tips

Visit Your energy use

 

 

 

 

Bill sample Energy costs

  1. Average temperature line
  2. Day of the week
  3. Cost graph lines
  4. Peak energy usage
  5. Off-Peak usage
  6. Energy costs, Energy use and Neighbors tabs
  7. Bill, year and cost views

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Daily energy use/generation

  1. Day, bill, year and cost views
  2. Energy use 
  3. Average daily temperature
  4. Energy used from grid
  5. Your solar energy production
  6. Time of day

Visit Your energy use

 

 

 

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Bill view

  1. Bill, day, year and cost views
  2. Average daily temperature
  3. Energy used from grid
  4. Your solar energy production
  5. Day of the week

Bill sampleYour energy usage

  1. Usage history
  2. Usage by year
  3. Weather impact
  4. View by day, week, month, year or all
  5. Usage graph by kWh
  6. Calendar date
  7. Download my energy use data

Visit Your energy use

 

What causes my usage to spike?

Some common reasons you can see an increase in usage are:

  • Extreme temperatures - During very hot or cold weather, heating and cooling systems work harder, leading to increased consumption.
  • High-energy appliance usage - Using appliances like dryers, ovens and water heaters, especially simultaneously, can cause a temporary spike in usage.
  • Peak demand periods - Electricity usage typically spikes in our region during peak hours (5 PM - 8 PM weekdays) when people return home from work and use multiple devices and appliances at the same time.
  • Increased household activity - Seasonal activities and gatherings could mean more cooking, more holiday decorations and outdoor lighting and more people in your home.

How can I estimate the amount of electricity an appliance uses?

First determine the amount of power (watts) of the appliance. Manufacturers typically indicate the wattage on the back of the appliance. If the wattage is not given, look for the amperage (AMPS) and voltage (volts) listed on the appliance.

To determine how much it costs to operate an appliance for a month, simply multiply the wattage times the number of hours the appliance is used and divide by 1000 to get the kWhs.

For example, let's calculate the monthly cost of a 60 Watt light bulb used 5 hours per day:

  • 60 watts X 5 hours per day = 300 watt hours
  • 300 watt hours X 30 days per month = 9,000 watt hours
  • 9000 watt hours / 1,000 = 9 kWh
  • 9 kWh X $0.14 = $1.26 monthly cost to operate

KWH conversion 

  • Amps x volts = watts
  • Watts x hours used = watt hours
  • Watt hours / 1000 = kilowatt hours (kWhs)
  • kWh X $0.14 = hourly cost

These equations do not account for the power required by motorized appliances, such as air conditioners, dishwashers and refrigerators. In addition, they assume that the power supply is single-phase, which is typical for most homes.

How can I reduce my energy consumption?

Here are the 3 best ways we know to save energy:

  • Keep inside air in and outside air out. Insulate, weatherstrip and caulk cracks and holes.
  • Adjust your thermostat higher in warm weather and lower in cool weather so your heating and cooling systems don't have to work so hard.
  • Conserve energy. Turn off lights, TV sets, appliances and other electricity users when not needed.

Why is my bill higher in certain months?

Some of the most common causes of higher-than-expected electric bills are weather-related. 

In hot weather, your electric bill may reflect:

  • Higher-than average air conditioning use.
  • Extended use of swimming pool and spa pumps.
  • Increased energy needed to keep refrigerators and freezers cold.

In cold weather, you may use more energy when:

  • Heating systems are in use more.
  • Portable electric heaters are in use.
  • More lighting is required for longer nights.
  • Holiday lighting and appliances are used for entertaining.

Your electric bill may also affected by:

  • More days than average in the billing period.
  • A previous unpaid balance, the balance from multiple accounts included on your bill. 

If you don't think the meter reading on your bill is correct, call 1-888-742-7683.

Are there special energy conservation programs available?

We currently offer many programs that can help both residential and commercial customers save money and energy. For rebate and incentive programs, visit the Rebates and Savings areas of our website.

Learn how to manage your energy consumption

Understanding your energy use can help put you in control of your monthly bills. We offer My Energy Tools in My Account to help you manage your usage. With My Energy Tools, you can:

  • View your energy usage in detail
  • Get a bill forecast
  • Compare your bills
  • See what uses the most electricity in your home
  • Get personalized tips to save on your bill

See other valuable resources that can help you manage your energy usage:

Understanding your usage patterns

Electricity usage patterns are the variations in how much electricity a person uses throughout the day, week, or year. Understanding these patterns can help you save money on your bills by choosing when to use appliances that use more energy. In the average household, heating and cooling appliances use the most electricity, accounting for 45-50% of consumption. Other appliances that use a lot of electricity include water heaters, refrigerators, washers and dryers, electric ovens and dishwashers.

Terms to know

With a clear understanding of electricity-related terms, you're better equipped to make informed choices when using energy. You can plan your usage and avoid unexpected charges.

 

Demand: How much electricity is used at any given time. The more electricity people use at any moment, the higher the demand.

kilowatt (kW): The unit of measure for demand. One kW is equal to 1,000 watts (W). For example, a 1,000 W vacuum cleaner is also a 1 kW vacuum cleaner.

Consumption: The amount of energy used over a period of time.

kilowatt-hours (kWh): The unit of measure for consumption. For example, if you clean your floors with a 1,000-watt vacuum cleaner for one hour, you use 1 kWh of energy.

Capacity: How much energy the system must be able to generate to meet demand. For example, if you run your toaster and coffee pot at the same time and blow a fuse, the circuit does not have the capacity to meet demand. The capacity of a utility must be able to meet demand so no customers go without electricity. 

Peak: The specific period of the day when electricity demand is at its highest.