Title: The Fees That Raise Your Electric Bill - Consumer Reports
Headings: The Fees That Raise Your Electric Bill Even When You Use Less Energy
The Fees That Raise Your Electric Bill Even When You Use Less Energy
What’s going on and what you can do about it
Recent Proposals Regarding Fixed Charges
Utilities Have a Jekyll/Hyde Relationship With Efficiency
How Mandatory Fixed Fees Hurt Electricity Customers
Highlights of the 'Caught in a Fix' Report
Helping You Save Money When You Save Energy
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Content: Caught In a Fix" Report prepared for Consumers Union by Synapse
How fees affect your bill. With fixed fees for electricity, homes using less power can be hit with steeper bill increases. This example models the impact of increasing fixed fees from $9 to $25 per month, with a corresponding decrease in the charge per kilowatt-hour (kWh) used. Highlights of the 'Caught in a Fix' Report
Low‐usage customers are hit the hardest. Customers who use less energy than average will experience the greatest percentage jump in their electric bills when the fixed charge is raised. There are many reasons a customer might have low energy usage: they may be located in apartments or dense housing units that require less energy; they may have small families or live alone; they may have energy‐efficient appliances or solar panels; or they may simply be conscientious about saving energy.