Umatilla Electric wants to help you better understand your investment in the co-op, make confident, informed choices, and recognize the value of the reliable service you count on every day. When you open your electric bill, you’re not just paying for the power you used, you’re also helping maintain the system that
keeps electricity flowing safely and dependably to your home or business.
Your electric bill includes three key parts: a basic charge, an energy charge and for some accounts a demand charge. Understanding these can help you take
control of your energy bill.
Let’s break it down.
The Basic Charge: Keeping the System Ready
The basic charge — sometimes called the “facilities charge” or “fixed charge” - is a flat monthly fee that helps cover the cost of delivering power, regardless of
how much energy you use. This charge varies by rate class and supports the infrastructure needed to keep electricity flowing to your home or business. These fixed costs include things like:
- 24/7 emergency response and outage restoration
- Customer service, billing systems, and regulatory compliance
- A share of power infrastructure, whether or not you’re using electricity
Think of the basic charge like a cost to keep a road to your house paved and plowed — whether you drive it daily or just once a week, it has to be maintained,
upgraded, and ready at all times. Our team works hard to keep this charge as low as possible, limiting our operating budget and costs to provide these services.
The Energy Charge: What You Use
The energy charge reflects the amount of electricity you consume each month, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). This is the portion of your bill that varies month
to month and is impacted by your appliances, heating or cooling needs, and how energy-efficient your home or business is. The energy charge includes:
- The cost UEC pays for power – roughly 60 percent from Bonneville Power Administration and the other 40 percent from open wholesale energy markets.
- The fluctuating fuel, transmission, and market costs tied to energy production.
- This part of your bill increases when you use more electricity-during summer air conditioning use, for example-or drops when your usage goes down.
The Demand Charge: Taking Control
A demand charge is based on the maximum kilowatts (kW) you draw at once – your peak demand - which better captures the size of the infrastructure needed to
deliver that electricity to you. Think of it like a water system: your usage is how many gallons you consume, while your demand is how wide you open the tap.
Importantly, demand charges give you more control over your bill than you might expect. By spreading out the use of large equipment or simultaneously using
things like programmable timers to stagger use, you can reduce your peak demand, potentially lowering your monthly costs.
Why It Matters
Together, these components help ensure fairness across the membership and financial stability for the cooperative. Understanding these charges also empowers you to better manage your energy costs. While the base charge is fixed, the energy portion of your bill is one you can control by making energy-efficient choices and being mindful of high-usage equipment.
We know affordability matters to you. As we navigate rising costs and invest in a strong, reliable system, our goal is to keep you informed and help you understand
what’s ahead.