How To Read Your Beaches Energy Utility Bill
Reading your Beaches Energy utility bill helps you review your account, check in on your usage, see an itemized list of charges, and confirm your total amount due.
Beaches Energy Bill Explained
We are here to help
All of these numbers can get confusing, but we're here to help you better understand utility bill charges and feel more confident! Take a look below for details on:
- What's included in your utility bill
- Understanding utility bill charges
- Explanation of terms/abbreviations, and more.
This section shows basic information, including your service address, account number, the date your bill was created, and the amount of your last payment.
Your account number is the Customer-Location Number (1231234-123456).
Amount Due
This is where you’ll find the due date for the current billing cycle and the total amount owed.
This shows the type of service (SVC TYPE) you're being billed for, how it's measured, your meter number, and the number of service days covered by your bill. Meter Multiplier (MTR Mult) is a number used to convert the reading on the meter into the actual amount of energy consumed. Most residential homes will have a MTR MULT of 1.
Terms:
(EL) Electricity is measured per kilowatt-hour (KWH)
(NG) Natural Gas is measured per cubic foot (CCFT)
(WA) Water is measured by thousand gallons (TGAL)
(SVC Days) Service days is the amount of days your bill covers
Reading Details
Here you'll see details of your utility usage, including the date your meter was read and the consumption for each service used during the billing cycle.
Your bill shows the current reading information, the previous month's reading, and a reading from the same time last year so you can compare your usage.
This section shows a detailed breakdown of how much your electricity and natural gas costs per unit, along with any additional charges. This helps you see how we arrived at your bill total.
The Power Cost Adjustment is directly related to the cost of fuel used to generate electricity. The Power Cost Adjustment is NOT additional income for Beaches Energy Services. This is a direct pass-through expense. A large percentage of the electricity we provide to our customers is produced by clean burning natural gas.
Terms:
Usage - Amount of kilowatt-hour (KWH) or natural gas (THERMS) used for billing period
Charge - Total charge for each service
Demand - The maximum rate of power you use at any one time, measured in kilowatts (kW)
Your water, sewer and sanitation charges will appear here, with a breakdown showing how we arrived at your bill total.
Terms:
(WA) Water is billed in 1,000 gallons using a tiered rate structure
(SW) Sewer is billed in 1,000 gallons using a tiered rate structure
(SU) Storm Water Utility
(GB) Garbage
(CS) Commercial Service is commercial garbage service and charges are based on the garbage container size and the number of pickups scheduled each week.
This is the most important section and includes information you've already seen throughout the bill. It's just a quick way to see your account number, service address, the amount you owe, and your due date all in one place.
What you Need to Know About Energy Usage
The services that appear on a Beaches Energy bill vary depending on your service location and needs. Some services, like stormwater and trash removal, are charged at a set rate. Others, like electricity and water, are charged based on your usage.
We measure electricity usage per kWh, meaning per kilowatt hour. A kilowatt hour measures how much energy is used while a device is powered. The meter attached to your home measures your electricity use. It tallies up your total kWh and reports that number to our team.
From there, we calculate how much to charge using our current electricity rates. Your bill reflects that number.
Understanding Utility Bill Charges
You may have noticed there are charges on your utility bill in addition to your actual usage. These include things like cost adjustments, taxes, and service fees billed to Beaches Energy customers.
Our Customer Care Team can answer any questions you have about charges
Questions? We can help.
Utility bills can change for a lot of reasons, including weather, guests in your home, rate changes or equipment problems.
If you see an unexplained increase in your use or have questions, reach out to the Customer Care Team.
Beaches Energy offers two free, easy tools to help lower your utility costs:
- In-home energy audits to help spot opportunities to save energy
- My Utility Planner, an online tool that gives you customized tips based on your home and energy use
Beaches Energy offers paperless billing! All you have to do is submit a quick form with your account information to sign up and we’ll start sending your bill directly to your email inbox.
Yes, you can automate payments with our simple, secure, and free autopay system. Just sign up at BeachesEnergy.com and enjoy hassle-free, automatic payments on your due date each month. It's one less thing to worry about!
The CARE program provides financial assistance to help customers experiencing financial hardship pay their utility bills. To qualify, you must be a senior citizen, disabled, low income or navigating an unexpected financial crisis.
Energy-Saving Tips For Your Home
Sometimes a small change can have a big impact on your energy savings. Get energy-saving tips for your home and business.
Helpful Resources
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Visit our Resources page for more information, such as FAQs, brochures, publications, and more.
