Wondering why your bill is higher than expected? Seasonal weather, changes in your household, and billing cycle variations can all affect your monthly bill. Explore tools and resources to better understand your energy use, identify possible causes, and find ways to manage future costs.
Why Is My Bill Higher than Usual?
- Extreme hot or cold weather
- Increased use of heating or cooling equipment
- More people at home
- New appliances or equipment
- Longer billing cycle (more days between meter reads)
- Electric vehicle charging
- Summer vs. non-summer energy charges
- Tiered rate structure (rates increase with higher usage)
Know Your Home
By understanding your home’s energy use, you can make informed choices to help stay comfortable and manage your energy bill.
- Start with a walk through of your home. Make a list of what you see plugged in, including in the garage where you might have a freezer or extra refrigerator. Next, check the circuit breakers in the breaker box, as well as individual appliance circuits that don’t use traditional wall outlets (like an electric water heater or HVAC system) to complete your list.
- Complete your home’s Energy Use Profile. This will provide a general idea of how your appliances and heating and cooling systems use energy, as well as provide action plans to reduce your energy use.
- View your usage in My Account. You can review your energy charges throughout the month to see how temperatures and behaviors impact your bill.
Biggest Energy Users in Your Home
- Central A/C or Heat Pump. A central A/C or heat pump running 8–12 hours/day, using around 900–1,200 kWh/ month, could cost approximately $120– 160/month.
Tip: Adjust your thermostat setting for your comfort and budget. In the warmer months, each degree you raise your thermostat can reduce cooling costs by 1 to 3%. - Electric Water Heater. An electric water heater running 3–5 hours/day, using 300−420 kWh/month, could cost approximately $40−$55/month.
Tip: Many water heaters are set to 140 °F. Check the temperature on yours and lower it to 120 °F at the tap to save energy and prevent scalding.
Still Need Help?
If you have questions regarding your bill, please contact our Customer Care Team at 208-388-2323 or 1-800-488-6151 (oprime 5 para español).
Energy Efficiency Do-It-Yourself Videos
Looking for low to no-cost ways to save energy? View our DIY reels.
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For assistance with a PDF on this page or to request a PDF in an alternate format, please contact Customer Service at 208-388-2323 or 1-800-488-6151