Understanding Your BC Hydro Electricity Bill
BC Hydro has recently updated their billing system, so your electricity bill looks a little different than it used to. However, it still has all of the important information it’s always had. Let’s break it down.
Payments
Your bill will prominently feature any upcoming payments that are due, and the dates they are due by. This amount will be highlighted in a blue box. If you are signed up for auto-pay, your monthly auto-payment will be shown here, and the date on which it will be withdrawn from your account.
If your account is past due, a red box will also be shown, with the amount that must be paid immediately to bring your account up to date.
Your Bill Highlights
Your bill will display key pieces of data, including the date range the billing date range, your most recent payment, the due date of your next payment, and more.
Electricity Usage Table
To help you get a better sense of your current and past electricity consumption, the electricity usage table displays your historical usage, the increase or decrease in how much you used during the same period the previous year, and the average daily cost of electricity during the billing period.
At a Glance
This section shows the upcoming date on which your meter will be read, information about your meter reading, a reminder if you have opted for the equal payment plan, and the date of your annual review.
Bill Details
This section of your bill provides all the data you need to have a full understanding of your electricity bill. Information displayed includes:
- Amount Due: The amount due on your previous bill, and the payment made towards it.
- Balance Forward: Your current account balance as of the end of the previous billing period. Any credit or remaining payment due is applied to your current billing period.
- Electricity Charges: This section breaks down the commodity element of your bill as follows:
- Basic Charge: The daily service fee charged for keeping your home connected to the grid, which helps to cover maintenance and repair costs.
- Energy Charges: The actual cost of the electricity that you have consumed. If you use a great deal of electricity, some of your usage may be charged at a higher rate.
- Rate Rider: A supplemental charge applied to the preceding charges to help cover additional and unpredictable energy costs.
- Regional Transit Levy: A tax applied to residential customers within the territory of the Metro Vancouver regional transportation system.
- Taxes on Electricity Charges: The 5% GST
- Total Due: The total amount due for the current billing period.
Understanding Your BC Hydro Natural Gas Bill
The specifics of your FortisBC natural gas bill may vary depending on your location, but will likely contain most or all of the following information:
- Name/Service Address: Your name, or the name of your company, and the address of your home/business.
- Rate Class: The category your location falls into—residential, commercial, etc.
- Billing Date: The date on which the bill was generated.
- Previous Bill: The amount due at the end of the last billing cycle.
- Less Payment: The amount you paid towards the previous bill.
- Balance from previous bill: The balance forward, after applying your previous payment.
- Basic Charge: A daily fee charged for maintaining your natural gas service.
- Delivery: The cost of delivering the natural gas you consumed to your home or business (does not include the actual cost of purchasing the gas).
- Storage and Transport: The cost of storing the gas, and transporting it to your general vicinity.
- Cost of Gas: The actual purchase price of the gas you used during the billing period.
- Other Charges and Taxes: This covers a variety of municipal, provincial, and federal fees and taxes.
- Please Pay: The total balance due for the current bill.
