Electric Rates & Service Classes

How do we calculate a bill? We take the meter reading off of each of our members’ meter and multiply the total kilowatt-hours (kWh) used that month times the price per kWh and that equals your total consumption, in dollars, that month.

What then is the service charge that is on your bill each month? A service charge is critical to all of our members because it is a fixed charge that we need to collect to continue to provide our members with the safe, reliable, and low cost electric service we believe our members want and deserve. It covers costs such as equipment, customer service and personnel.

If you have any questions about how your bill was calculated, please call or stop by your local WREC office. We always look forward to talking with you and helping you better understand your cooperative and how it works for you.

The rate class you fall into, and the price per Kilowatt hour you pay varies depending on your type of usage and in the case of commercial classes, the size of transformer WREC must provide to meet your needs.

The total kilowatt hour charge on your bill reflects how much electricity you use in a billing period (approximately 30 days) as measured by your meter.

Demand charge and kilowatt hour charges can be compared to your family car expenses. Compare demand to your monthly installment payment which remains the same regardless of the number of passengers you carried at any one time during the month. The more passengers your vehicle is capable of carrying, usually, the higher the vehicle cost. The total amount you spend for gas depends on the number of miles you travel, which is similar to the kilowatt hour charge.

As you can see from the following rate schedule, not all rate classes reflect the demand charge as a separate item on the power bill. For some classes it is averaged into the kilowatt hour charge.

RURAL RESIDENTIAL
Ranches and homes outside city limits are billed 7.21cents per kWh and a $16.80 basic service charge. Meters are read monthly. (TOP)

VILLAGE RESIDENTIAL
Homes within city limits are billed 7.39 cents per kWh and a $15.15 basic service charge. Demand charges are included in kWh charges. Meters are read monthly. (TOP)

SEASONAL RESIDENTIAL
Service to residences which are occupied seasonally for less than 9 months per year are billed 7.51 cents per kWh. Demand charges are included in kWh charges. Annual service charge is $168.00 and is billed in February. Meters are read annually and usage is billed in September. (TOP)

SMALL POWER
Commercial and non-residential small power service for load requirements which do not exceed 49 kva of transformer capacity are 6.43 cents per kWh and a $19.50 basic service charge. Demand charges are included in kWh charges. Meters are read monthly. (TOP)

LARGE POWER
Accounts requiring 51 - 1000 kva of transformer capacity are billed 5.23 cents per kWh and a $25.00 monthly service charge. Demand charges are $6.00 per average kW of the 30 minute period of maximum use during the preceding month. Meters are read monthly. (TOP)

COMMERCIAL POWER
Accounts requiring 1001 - 5000 kva of transformer capacity are billed 4.49 cents per kWh charge. $500.00 basic service charge. Demand charge is $5.50 per average kW of the 60 minute period of maximum use during The preceding month. Meters

IRRIGATION – ALL MONTHS
Irrigation pumps, three phase or single phase, are billed 5.27 cents per kWh, and a $300.00 annual basic service charge.  Demand charges are $6.00 per kW of monthly billing demand.  Meters are read monthly during irrigation season.

IRRIGATION – kWh Only (September through April)
Irrigation pumps, three phase or single phase, are billed 6.94 cents per kWh without an annual basic service charge or demand charge.

IRRIGATION – kWh Only (May through August)
Irrigation pumps, three phase or single phase, are billed 5.27 cents per kWh and  a $300.00 annual basic service charge.  Demand charges are $6.00 per kW of monthly billing demand.  Meters are read monthly during irrigation season.

*****POWER COST ADJUSTMENT
The Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) is a new line item on your WREC bill.  This PCA allows us to lower the risk that The Bonneville Power Administration (The BPA) takes in the marketplace, which in turn helped us lower our overall rate increase in 2006. 

The BPA has set our rates for 2007, and we are happy to announce that Wells Rural Electric rates will remain stable throughout 2007. 

If the BPA had adjusted our rates one way or the other, WREC would have to pass either the increase or the decrease directly through to all of our rate classes using the PCA on your bill.

If you have any questions about the PCA or how it works please give us a call at any our three offices.