Why is my bill so high?

Midwest Energy Cooperative representatives are always happy to assist you with your billing questions, but a little legwork on your part may be all you need to determine whether or not you have a high bill issue. If, after reading this information, you still need help paying your bill, you may qualify for assistance available from the State of Michigan.

Accurate history

Review how much power you’ve used for the last 13 months. We call this the kilowatt hour (kwh) history. The kilowatt hours you use are the main driver of costs on your electric bill. Midwest Energy Cooperative residential customers average about 1000 kwh of energy use each month.

You can find your kwh usage on every bill, or you can access it online through our easy-to-use Customer Self-Serve Account Access. This will allow you to compare your most recent month to that same month one year ago to determine whether or not your usage has increased. Weather fluctuations may be a factor in any major difference, but this is a good place to start your search.

Other charges?

Your electric bill is comprised of at least four different components: the Monthly Service Charge, Energy KWH Charge, Distribution KWH Charge and Power Cost Adjustment. Check your bill carefully to see if there are other charges reflected on it, besides your actual electric service.

Are there additional charges for things like a deposit, connection/disconnection fees or returned check fees?
Is there a past-due amount from a previous bill?
Are there charges for other services like propane, Internet, security lights, etc.?

Days of use

Check the number of days that are billed for your electric use. This varies from month to month based on the number of days in the month. Also, the billing cycle may change slightly so that your bill is not due on a holiday or weekend. More days in the billing cycle may result in greater kwh usage.

Seasons

Check the kwh total by month. From the history, if winter months are higher, that may indicate some form of electric heat, higher water heater usage, or greater use of a water bed heater.

Higher usage in summer months might indicate use of air conditioning. Were temperatures higher or lower than normal during the period in question?

Additional heating or cooling load will cause an increase in your electric use. Heating and cooling your home averages about 44 percent of your total energy use. Using space heaters, fireplaces, livestock heaters or vehicle block heaters in the winter can dramatically increase your energy consumption. Running a dehumidifier and watering lawns and gardens in the summer months will also increase your usage.

To help with seasonal fluctuations, Midwest Energy Cooperative offers a budget bill program.

Your electric meter doesn’t go on vacation

If you leave your home for an extended period of time for business or vacation, any appliances you leave plugged in will continue to use electricity, even while you are gone. We typically make sure that things like television and lights are turned off, but keep in mind that major appliances like your water heater, freezer, refrigerator, heating/cooling system and well pump will continue to use kwh.

Lifestyle

No two households use energy the same way, so comparing your electric bill to your neighbor’s is like comparing apples to oranges. It is best to compare your current kwh use to your past kwh use.

Here are some additional things to take into consideration:

Did the number of members of your household increase?
Did someone stay home more or did you have guests stay for an extended period?
Did you add a swimming pool or a hot tub?
Do you have hobbies that include the use of power tools, ovens or other electrical tools or appliances?

Lighting, refrigeration, cooking and appliances

Lighting, refrigeration, cooking and appliances typically account for about 56 percent of the total energy use in the normal household. The location of your refrigerators and freezers is very important.

Never place a refrigerator or freezer in direct sunlight or in unconditioned space such as a breezeway, garage or outbuilding. The refrigerator or freezer will have to work harder to overcome excessive heat during warmer months.
Make sure your refrigerators and freezers have adequate ventilation.
Many of us have a second refrigerator that we use for our favorite beverages. Either maximize your use of a second refrigerator or consider getting rid of it to save valuable kilowatt hours.

Equipment maintenance

If an appliance is more than 15 years old, it’s likely to be much less efficient, thereby requiring more energy to do its job. However, some regular maintenance can help. Be sure to clean or replace the condenser, coils or filters on some appliances regularly – or consider replacing the appliance itself. Many times old electrical wiring will have loose connections resulting in increased electrical use. It can also create safety hazards.

Weather

Lightning can sometimes damage your well pump, sump pump or appliances, and increase how long they run. If underground wiring-insulation is damaged, an increase in electrical use may occur when the ground is saturated with moisture.

Construction or remodeling activities

Home additions will likely result in increased electrical usage. Many times additions are completed without consideration of the heating and cooling load. Be sure your HVAC systems are properly sized when taking on any construction or remodeling projects.

If you still have questions...

If you’ve reviewed all of these suggestions and still have questions, please call or visit one of our district service centers for more assistance. You can also learn more by visiting the Energy Star website or the US Department of Energy.