My Billing Statement
To view your electric bill, login to account.
The electric bill is split into five sections to provide you with greater detail and information about your usage and charges:
Usage Detail
This table at the upper right corner shows current electric usage in terms of kilowatt hours used per day and cost per day. A graph of your consumption over the past 13 months is also included for comparison.
Special Notes
Key notes are included directly below the usage detail.
Location and Meter
The first two boxes spanning the width of the page are for service information, including current meter reading and rate information.
Current Charges
Below the location and meter information is a box that details current charges. The left side is an itemization of current charges including the facilities charge, energy charges, and other fees. The right side is a summary of payments received and charges due.
Remittance Stub
The bottom of the statement is a tear-off remittance stub and should be returned with your payment.
What time period is this bill for?
Pella Cooperative Electric bills members for electricity they have already used. The typical billing period looks like this:
January 1 - 31 | Electricity Used |
February 1 | Meter Read |
February 10 | Bill Mailed |
March 1 | Bill Due |
March 15 | Account Disconnected, if no payment received |
How do you know how much I used?
Pella Cooperative Electric puts a meter at every electric account to monitor usage. Each meter is equipped with a special Automated Meter Information (AMI) device. The AMI send your usage information to the cooperative on a daily basis. Monthly meter reads are transferred from the AMR system to calculate your bill. These meters are routinely tested for accuracy.
What am I paying for?
The cooperative uses the philosophy that the cost causer should be the cost payer. Having multiple charges in each rate allows the cooperative to bill members as fairly and accurately as possible.
Facility Charge - a flat monthly fee, not dependant on how much you use. It covers the electrical infrastructure necessary to make electric service available at your account. It covers such things as the installation and maintenance of substations, wires, lines, transformers, etc. Each member pays the same amount, regardless of the energy they use, based on the type of service they receive.
Energy Charge - based on how much electricity you use. Two categories of expenses are combined into the energy charge: wholesale power cost (what it cost to make the power and get it to the substation) and distribution expense (what it cost to get it from the substation to your meter). The rates vary by rate classification and are charged on a per kilowatt-hour basis.
Energy Cost Adjustment - This charge changes monthly to accommodate fluctuations in wholesale power costs. Currently, the rates assume a 6.4¢ wholesale power cost. When power costs exceed that amount, the ECA will be positive. When power costs are less, the ECA will be negative. The ECA is based on the amount of energy used, and is applied to all rate classifications, with the exception of the Heat Plus rate during the winter months.
Taxes - Residential customers in the state of Iowa are no longer charged for state sales tax. Local taxes still apply, and will appear on your bills as determined by local officials. Tax on electric service applies to all other non-residential accounts. In some cases, such as manufacturing or farming operations, you may qualify for credits. Consult your tax advisor or view more detail.
