Read an electric bill line-by-line
Learn how to read an electric bill, then use AI to ask better questions and spot unusual charges.
Electric bills are packed with numbers that matter. Learn what each line means, then use AI to dig deeper.
This is educational content about reading bills. It is not tax, investment, or legal advice.
The line items
| Label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Billing period | The start and end dates of the charges. |
| Total kWh used | How much electricity you consumed. Compare to last month and the same month last year. |
| Rate per kWh | The price for each unit of electricity. Check if it changed. |
| Delivery charges | The cost to get electricity to your home. Often separate from generation charges. |
| Generation charges | The cost of producing the electricity you used. |
| Taxes and fees | State, local, and regulatory fees. These should be listed separately. |
| Total amount due | What you owe and by when. Check the due date. |
Prompts to ask AI
Copy these prompts, paste your bill details (with account numbers removed), and ask:
My bill says I used [X] kWh this month and [Y] kWh last month. What could explain the difference?
Explain "delivery charges" vs "generation charges" like I am new to this.
Are there any fees on this bill I could potentially reduce by changing my plan or usage habits?
Red flags to watch for
- A sudden spike with no change in weather or habits
- Fees you have never seen before
- Estimated readings for several months in a row (your meter may not be getting read)
- A rate change you were not notified about