Confusion over electric bill fee charges

If you won your newest electric bill inside the final week you’ll have been surprised at how top it used to be. Several shoppers emailed Investigator Amy Davis involved their electric supplier overcharged them.

KPRC 2 Investigates is getting numerous questions on a up to date electric bill fee building up that simply went into impact. They requested Investigator Amy Davis to get some solutions. Amy explains what to search for to your bill.

The TDSP fee larger on September 1

We advised you final week that the corporations that personal the strains and wires larger transmission and distribution charges (TDSP fees) on September 1. But a few of you’ve gotten messaged KPRC 2 Investigates since you spotted your electric corporate making use of the brand new price to all the electrical energy you’ve used even prior to September 1.

Garrett Long despatched us his electric bill from Frontier Utilities so you’ll be able to see what to search for by yourself bill.

Where to seek out the TDSP price to your electric bill

On the checklist of charges, charges, and tax search for the road that reads TDU supply charges.

• Long used to be charged $107.45.

• Those TDU charges are actually 5.47 cents a kilowatt plus 4.39.

• But prior to September 1, the TDU price used to be 3.7 cents a kilowatt plus 4.39.

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• Long’s bill covers August 3 thru September 1 so he idea handiest at some point of power must be charged that upper price.

• We did the maths by way of multiplying Long’s overall kilowatts instances the previous price. Using the previous price, that might were about $79.16 for the TDU charges, now not $107.45.

“I said no, that ain’t right. I was overcharged. I shouldn’t be charged that new TDU rate that’s when I contacted the Public Utility Commission because I had no confidence Frontier would offer or change anything on my bill,” stated Long. “I doubt it’s just Frontier. It’s probably anybody that received an electric bill was probably charged a higher rate than they were supposed to.”

Long referred to as Frontier to inform them he used to be overcharged, and a Frontier consultant advised him there used to be not anything they may do about it. He filed a criticism with the Public Utility Commission. They reached out to Frontier and Frontier presented Long a $50 credit to his bill.

Public Utility Commission commentary

The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved CenterPoint Energy’s price trade efficient for billings on and after September 1. These charges are charged as of the billing date, now not the utilization date.

If a shopper believes there is a matter with their bill, we inspire them to first touch their retail electric supplier. If they may be able to’t unravel the problem with their supplier immediately, customers can touch the PUCT’s Consumer Protection Division by way of emailing [email protected], calling 1-888-782-8477, or submitting an informal complaint.

Frontier Utilities commentary

“We understand how difficult it is for customers to receive a higher-than-expected electric bill, which is why we work with closely customers to help them pay their bills, including offering payment arrangements. While we do not discuss individual customer accounts, we have verified the customer’s concerns are not the result of a billing issue at Frontier. We have reached out to the customer and explained how Transmission and Distribution Utility (TDU) charges, which are a direct passthrough, are reflected on electric bills in Texas.

It’s important to understand that neither Frontier nor any retail electric provider in Texas controls TDU rates. TDU rates are proposed by Transmission and Distribution utility companies, reviewed and approved the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and adjusted in March and September. The TDU calculates the TDU charges based on the last day of the customer’s billing cycle, delivers those charges to Frontier which then passes these charges to customers as part of their electric bill. This means a customer whose billing cycle ends on Sept. 1 is charged the TDU rate effective on Sept.1 for the entire billing period, even though the usage occurred primarily in August. This is no different than if a rate decrease went into effect on the last day of a customer’s billing cycle. In that instance, the TDU charge would reflect the newer, lower rate, even though most of the electric usage took place prior to the rate decrease.”

CenterPoint Energy commentary

Three explicit charges were up to date as of Sept. 1, 2023, those charges have at all times been billed in line with the “meter read date,” in line with our commission-approved tariff. Unlike another price buildings, those charges aren’t prorated. Riders which might be billed at the charges in impact at the date that the client’s meter is learn are designated within the person riders above the speed agenda within the CenterPoint Energy Tariff for Retail Delivery Service.

The charges which have been up to date on Sept. 1 are as follows: [See more here]

1. TEEEF – CenterPoint Energy Tariff for Retail Delivery Service web page 234

2. DCRF – CenterPoint Energy Tariff for Retail Delivery Service web page 230

3. TCRF – CenterPoint Energy Tariff for Retail Delivery Service web page 217

As a part of our common adjustment agenda, the TCRF (Transmission Cost Recovery Factor) is adjusted in March and September each and every 12 months (which means that we document two times a 12 months, normally document in December and June so the brand new charges cross into impact in March and September). This adjustment accounts for the seasonality of electrical energy utilization, with charges tending to lower in March and building up in September to align with the patterns of seasonal kWh intake. The DCRF (Distribution Cost Recovery Factor) is a price adjustment allowed by way of Texas statute that allows electric utilities to put in force new charges to account for adjustments in distribution-invested capital with out submitting a complete price case and the TEEEF (Temporary Emergency Electric Energy Facilities) rider recovers prices for amenities that supply transient emergency electric power to lend a hand repair electric carrier to its distribution shoppers right through a well-liked energy outage.