Common questions & answers about your electric bill

What is a Facility Charge?

Your facility charge is the base charge you pay every month for the ability to get electricity to your location. It is similar to a customer charge you may find on your phone bill.

What is the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA)?

The power cost adjustment (PCA) is a fluctuating charge based on the difference between Eastern Illin's contracted wholesale electric rate, and the month-to-month fluctuation in actual wholesale power costs. We expect this to be a negative charge (resulting in a CREDIT to your account) for most of 2009.

Why is my bill so high?

The first thing to look at is your kWh use. How does it compare to previous months, or last year at this time? What changes have taken place (colder/warmer weather, new appliances, guests, etc.) The key to addressing this question is to figure out what is using the electricity in your home, and then deciding how valuable it is to you. Can you get rid of your old freezer to save some money each month? Can you set your thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter and 72 in the summer? Sometimes it comes down to cost versus comfort. Check our resources page for more information. You can also check degree day data to figure out how hot or cold it was.

What is a kWh (kilowatt hour)?

A kilowatt hour (kWh) is a unit to measure electric consumption. For instance, a 100 watt light bulb will use 1,000 watt hours in 10 hours (100 watts x 10 hours = 1000 watt hours.) A kilowatt is 1,000 watts, so that means that one 100 watt light bulb will use 1 kWh in 10 hours. A 1,500 watt space heater will use 1.5 kWh in one hour.

Why is my neighbor's bill so much lower than mine?

You just answered that question yourself - it is their bill, not yours. Every home has different use patterns and different electric components. A better comparison is to gauge the fluctuations of your bill from month-to-month. Usually, your kwh use (and your bill) will be lowest in the spring and fall (April, May, September and October.) When other months are higher, it is usually because of the temperature and weather conditions.

Why are my rates so high compared to other utilities?

Quite simply, it costs more to provide electricty to rural areas than it does urban ones. It is a matter of density. Eastern Illini has about 3 member/owners for every mile of line we have in service. Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs) have about 40 customers for every mile of line they serve. So, for Eastern Illini, the fixed costs associated with getting power to you (like the facility charge) are spread out between much fewer people.

Do you offer any special rates or discounts?

We have special rates for member/owners that heat their home with electric systems or are willing to let us shut them off during our high-demand days. We also offer monthly bill credits for member/owners that let us cycle their electric water heater and/or air conditioner. You can earn up to $123 per year with these load management credtis.