Glossary of Bill Terms
Below are terms and phrases commonly used in Ambit Energy’s Texas bills.
Autopay (AUTOmatic PAYment)
The monthly payment for a recurring service that is automatically deducted from a checking account or charged to a credit card.
Advanced metering charge
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for Advanced Metering Systems, to the extent that they are not recovered in a TDU’s standard metering charge. Acceptable abbreviation: Advanced Meter.
Average Billing in Texas aka Budget Billing in Select Markets
You get a monthly bill based on rolling, 365-day historical average usage – and not your actual usage. The average daily balance is multiplied by the number of days in the current billing cycle.
Base Charge
A charge assessed during each billing cycle without regard to the customer’s demand or energy consumption.
Budget Billing in Select Markets
Competition Transition Charge
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for non-securitized costs associated with the transition to competition. Acceptable abbreviation: Competition Transition.
Demand Charge
A charge based on the rate at which electric energy is delivered to or by a system at a given instant, or averaged over a designated period, during the billing cycle.
Early Termination Fee (ETF) in Texas Only
A charge levied when a party wants to break the term of an agreement or long-term contract.
Energy Charge
A charge based on the electric energy (kWh) consumed.
Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Factor
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s costs for energy efficiency programs, to the extent that the TDU charge is a separate charge exclusively for that purpose that is approved by the Public Utility Commission. Acceptable abbreviation: Energy Efficiency.
kW – Kilowatt
The standard unit for measuring electricity demand, equal to 1,000 watts.
kWh – Kilowatt-hour
The standard unit for measuring electricity energy consumption, equal to 1,000 watt-hours.
Late Payment Penalty
A charge assessed for late payment in accordance with Public Utility Commission rules.
Meter Charge
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for metering a customer’s consumption, to the extent that the TDU charge is a separate charge exclusively for that purpose that is approved by the Public Utility Commission.
Miscellaneous Gross Receipts Tax Reimbursement
A fee assessed to recover he miscellaneous gross receipts tax imposed on retail electric providers operating in an incorporated city or town having a population of more than 1,000. Acceptable abbreviation: Gross Receipts Reimb.
Nuclear Decommissioning Fee
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for decommissioning of nuclear generating sites. Acceptable abbreviation: Nuclear Decommission.
PUC Assessment
A fee assessed to recover the statutory fee for administering the Public Utility Regulatory Act.
Sales tax
Sales tax collected by authorized taxing authorities, such as the state, cities and special purpose districts.
System Benefit Fund
A non-bypassable charge approved by the Public Utility Commission, not to exceed 65 cents per megawatt-hour, that funds the low-income discount, one-time bill payment assistance, customer education, commission administrative expenses, and low-income energy efficiency programs.
TDU Delivery Charges
The total amounts assessed by a TDU for the delivery of electricity to a customer over poles and wires and other TDU facilities not including discretionary charges.
Transmission Distribution Surcharges
One or more TDU surcharge(s) on a customer’s bill in any combination. Surcharges include charges billed as tariff riders by the TDU. Acceptable abbreviation: TDU Surcharges
Transition Charge
A charge assessed to recover a TDU’s charges for securitized costs associated with the transition to competition.
