Rate Structure & Utility Litigation
Rate Structure and Billing Analysis
Energy Consulting Services can analyze your electric and gas bills to ensure that your facility is receiving the best possible utility rates. We can also help you apply for and enroll in any Utility rebate programs. Often these rebates allow your Company to purchase our other services at reduced cost.
We will typically:
- Verify proper electric rate.
- Check meter usage to utility bill.
- Identify electrical demand and consumption peak anomalies.
Utility Billing and Energy Usage Litigation
Utility Companies Mostly Rely on Manual Meter Readings.
A utility company meter reader may not be able to gain access to the meter and an estimated usage is billed. An estimated bill is usually e-billed as soon as the meter reader gains access. A problem happens when more than a month goes by before readings get revised. Electrical demand is read each month and most meters hold only the highest reading. The customer may be billed incorrectly for this high electrical demand for more than one month. For a commercial user this could equate to thousands of dollars in over charges. For an industrial user this could equate to tens of thousands of dollars in over charges. In addition, if a summer seasonal high rate change has occurred, then that over charge could be tripled.
Utility meters are usually accurate and highly reliable. However, over time meters can become inaccurate or break. A zero reading is easily detected but a 5% error is not, especially if it starts at 1% and gradually increases. Most utility companies have a meter testing and exchange program every few years. Do you know the last time your meter was tested and recalibrated? Did you get that recalibration report? What if your meter was recalibrated and you were overcharged? Did you get a letter of explanation and a refund check?
Utility companies have complex rates for many different types of usage. When your account was first opened you were assigned a rate. Do you know what this rate is? Does this rate still reflect your type of usage? Is there another rate that will save your company money?
We recover over payments due to inaccurate utility charges, misapplied electrical rates or inaccurate meter readings. Our methodology consists of rate structure analysis, historical trend analysis and energy usage auditing of the facility.
Energy Usage Litigation
The utility companies have rules and regulations they must abide by. The public service commission oversees the utility companies. Do you know the rules and regulations that apply to your rate? Does your utility contact person know your facility and how it uses energy? Is the billed amount for usage in line with the actual usage? What if your usage and equipment changed and your utility bill did not? What if that equipment is no longer there and you believe now that at that time you were over charged on your utility bill?
We provide the documentation and representation to go before the utility thru their formal appeals process in order to recover over payments. Forensic energy usage analysis is an invaluable asset for historical recovery of utility overcharges.