Commercial energy / Buyer guidance
Electric bill audit checklist: from interval data to the supplier price line
Reconcile electric energy, demand, fixed fees and credits with an original split-period example and a reusable evidence table.
Reproduce the bill before deciding what to dispute
An electric bill can combine energy, demand, delivery, supplier and adjustment components. Some may be fixed, others variable. Begin with the actual account, service period and meter. Obtain the price confirmation, amendments, applicable utility schedule and metering data before comparing the invoice with a quoted headline rate.
Preserve original and corrected bills. A rebill can reverse an earlier amount and replace it; comparing only the new charge can make a correction look like double billing. Likewise, a consolidated utility invoice and a supplier statement may have different roles. Reconcile the payment ledger before marking an item as duplicate.
The electric evidence table
| Component | Required record | Calculation question |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | kWh, meter multiplier and period | Does billed energy match the correct meter data? |
| Supply price | Executed schedule and effective dates | Which kWh receive which rate? |
| Demand | Interval series and tariff definition | Are the window, floor and ratchet applied correctly? |
| Capacity or other allocation | Named determinant and methodology | Is the account factor the one required by the agreement? |
| Fixed fees | Tariff/contract and service dates | Is the billing frequency or proration supported? |
| Credits | Credit memo and account ledger | Has the credit been posted, not merely promised? |
Do not assume kW and kWh can substitute for each other. Do not infer that the actual maximum on a monitoring platform is the same demand determinant as the utility bill. Check units and definitions before repeating the arithmetic.
Worked example: a mid-period price change needs the correct quantity split
Hypothetical approved rates: the old rate is $0.08/kWh and the new rate is $0.09/kWh. Metered usage allocated to the two price periods is 20,000 and 30,000 kWh. The modeled energy charge is $1,600 + $2,700 = $4,300.
Applying the new rate to all 50,000 kWh would produce $4,500, a $200 difference. However, dividing kWh equally by the number of days is not necessarily the permitted allocation method. Obtain actual interval data or the governing estimation rule. The example assumes the quantities are established; it does not create a rule for how any utility must split a bill.
Turn an unexplained difference into a precise question
Write: “For invoice X, this rate schedule appears effective on this date, and these metered quantities produce this calculation. Please identify any amendment or adjustment that explains the billed amount.” Include the document pages and a spreadsheet formula. That is more actionable than saying the invoice is above the average market price.
Track issue status as unverified, explained, correction agreed, credit posted or disputed. Only a supported outcome should be reported as a correction. Follow the actual complaint and payment procedure for the service; this checklist supplies no universal lookback or refund window.
Sources and limits
EIA electricity price components provides background on generation and delivery. The customer's effective tariff and signed agreement supply the invoice rules. The split-period example is independently constructed and is not a documented refund or an assertion that any supplier misbilled an account. See the 17-check audit guide for the broader evidence file.