How To Read Your Commercial Bill

Move your mouse over the bill below. When the hand appears over a specific item, clicking on that item will take you to an explanation.

Account Number	This is the 17-digit number that identifies the specific account covered by this bill. Your full account number consists of a 9-digit account number that identifies this particular Service Address followed by an 8-digit customer number that identifies the person or entity whose name appears on the account. If you have multiple accounts with CWLP, your customer number will be the same on all of your accounts. Return to the bill graphic
Service Address	This is the address that received the CWLP service being charged on this bill. Return to the bill graphic
Last Payment Amount	This is the amount of your last payment received and credited to your account prior to this bill's Billing Date. Return to the bill graphic
Last Payment Received On	This is the date on which your last payment was received by CWLP. Return to the bill graphic
Type of Service	This column lists all of the types of CWLP service (e.g., electric energy consumption, electric demand, water, fire protection line) for which you are being charged on this bill. Most commercial electric customers are charged for two types of electricity use:
	Energy	Energy refers to the cumulative amount of electricity used in a given period of time. In other words, the number of kilowatts you used over the total number of hours in the billing period. You are billed at a specific rate per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of Usage. Your energy rate depends on your Rate Classification and the time of year. Summer rates are higher than winter rates. Information relating to your energy consumption during the month appears in the "Electric" line of your bill. Detailed information about energy rates and other charges for each commercial electric rate classification can be found elsewhere on this website.
	Demand	Demand refers to the amount of power—in kilowatts (kW)—you draw from the utility at any given instant. You are billed at a specific rate per kW for the highest instantaneous demand during the billing period. Your demand rate depends on your rate classification and the time of year. Summer demand rates are higher than those for winter. To ensure your demand charge won't be based solely on an anomalous demand spike, your meter continually measures and averages out your demand over 15-minute continuums throughout the month. The highest average peak in any of these periods is considered your demand. Information relating to your demand during the month appears in the "Elec.KWD" line of your bill. Detailed information about demand rates and other charges for each commercial electric rate classification can be found elsewhere on this website.
	If you are a water customer, information relating to your water consumption during the month appears in the "Water" line of your bill. The listing for your water service will also indicate the diameter size of the water line coming into your water meter (which, in the case of this sample bill, is 4 inches). This "meter size" will affect the amount of your Monthly Water Customer Charge and your Monthly Sewer Fund Customer Charge. If you have any other type of service from CWLP, such as a Fire Protection Line or Security Lights, information relating to that service will appear in an appropriately identified line of your bill. Return to the bill graphic
Meter Number	Each electric and water meter installed on your property is identified by a number. The ID number of each of your meters is listed in this column. Return to the bill graphic
Rate (Classification)	The numbers in this column indicate the rate classification for each type of service you receive from CWLP. Your rate classification determines the rate (dollar amount) you will pay for each kWh and KW of electricity and each unit of water you use. Rate classification is based on a number of considerations, including whether you are a residential or commercial (business) electric customer, whether you are an "Inside the City" or "Outside the City" water customer, and whether your building is all-electric or has both electric and natural gas service. More information about electric and water rates for each rate classification can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Read Date	This tells you when each of your meters was read for this billing period. Return to the bill graphic
Days	This tells you how many days are covered in this billing period (i.e., the number of days between the most recent meter reading and the previous one). Return to the bill graphic
Bill Code	The letters in this column indicate how your electric and water consumption for the month was determined:
	A	Actual Read taken by a meter reader
	C	Card Read by the customer, who submitted the reading to CWLP
	E	Estimated Read by computer, based—in part—on historical consumption
	P	Phoned-In Read by the customer
	M	Manually Estimated Read by the Customer Service Office
	More information about meter reading can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Meter Read	This tells you the reading taken from (or estimated for) your electric and water meters both this month (Current) and last month (Previous). By subtracting the previous reading from the current reading, we can determine your exact kWh of electricity and units of water Usage during this billing period. Return to the bill graphic
Meter Multiplier	Because of the way electric meters are designed, they might read only a fraction of each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity actually used by large consumers. Therefore, CWLP assigns a "meter multiplier" of 1.00 or greater to each electric meter. This is multiplied by the difference between the current and the previous electric Meter Reads to determine the actual number of kWh used during the billing period. Return to the bill graphic
Usage	For electric customers with a Meter Multiplier of 1.00 and for water customers, we subtract your current from your previous Meter Read to determine exactly how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity or units of water you used during this billing period. For electric customers with a meter multiplier greater than 1.00, we subtract your current from your previous electric meter read, then multiply that number by the meter multiplier to determine exactly how many kWh of electricity you used during this billing period. In the case of this sample bill, the meter read showed a consumption of 541 kWh. Multiplying 541 by the meter multiplier of 1200, we arrive at an actual consumption of 649,200 kWh. Return to the bill graphic
Current Billing	The dollar amounts listed in this column reflect the balance forwards/charges/credits applied to your bill for this billing period, from which your total final Balance will be calculated. Return to the bill graphic
Billing	This is your balance forward (or credit) from the previous month. 1) If payment for your previous month's bill was not received and credited to your account prior to this bill's Billing Date, or if you made only a partial payment on your previous month's bill, the amount of the balance remaining on your account will be reflected here. This balance does not include charges incurred or Rebate bill credits earned during the period covered by this bill. (2) If you are on our Level Payment Plan and your monthly level pay amounts are lower than your actual customer and consumption charges during any given month, the accumulated unpaid balance on your account will be reflected here. This balance will be added into your total Current Bill charge. However, you do not have to pay the balance off during this billing cycle if your current bill charge exceeds what you are required to pay under your Level Payment Plan agreement. Any balances remaining on your account on your anniversary date will be reconciled at that time. More information about the Level Payment Plan program can be found elsewhere on this website. (3) If you previously overpaid your bill, or if you previously received a Rebate you haven't completely used up, that overpayment/remaining credit will be shown here as a credit (CR). Return to the bill graphic
Rebate	If you applied for and received a qualifying rebate—such as a Heat Pump Rebate or Insulation Rebate—the amount of that rebate will appear as a credit (CR) on your bill for the month when it is applied to your account. The total amount owed for CWLP service this month will be reduced by the size of your rebate. Return to the bill graphic
Net Balance Forward	This is the sum total of all amounts covered under the "Transaction" section of your bill: the balance forward from the previous month minus any Rebates that have been applied to your account during this month. Return to the bill graphic
Electric Monthly Customer Charge	All CWLP electric customers pay a monthly customer charge that reimburses the utility for administrative expenses—including meter reading and billing services—not covered by electric Energy or Fuel Adjustment charges. The amount of your monthly customer charge depends on your Rate Classification. Detailed information about monthly customer charges and energy and demand rates for each commercial electric rate classification can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Summer (or Winter) KWh Energy	Energy, which is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), refers to the cumulative amount of electricity used during a given period of time. In other words, the number of kilowatts you used over the total number of hours in the billing period. You are billed at a specific rate (dollar amount) per kWh of Usage. Your rate depends on your Rate Classification and the time of year. Summer rates are higher than winter rates because there is typically greater demand for CWLP electricity in the hot summer months. More information about CWLP's commercial electric rates can be found elsewhere on this website. To determine your total energy cost for the month, we multiply your rate per kWh by the number of kilowatt-hours you used in the billing period. Return to the bill graphic
Demand (Summer or Winter kW)	Demand refers to the amount of power—in kilowatts (kW)—you draw from the utility at any given instant. In addition to the kWh Energy rate, commercial electric customers are charged a demand rate per kW for your highest instantaneous demand during the billing period. Actually, to ensure your demand charge won't be based solely on an anomalous demand spike, your meter continually measures and averages out your demand over 15-minute continuums throughout the month. The highest average peak in any of those periods is considered your demand for the month. As with kWh energy, the amount you pay per kW of demand depends on your Rate Classification and the time of year. Detailed information about demand rates and other charges for each commercial electric rate classification can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Fuel Adjustment	Like many other electric utilities, CWLP applies a Fuel Adjustment Charge (FAC) to customer electric bills. The fuel adjustment provides the utility with a means of charging customers for the true cost of providing service—based on the ever-changing cost of coal, fuel oil, natural gas, fuel transportation and handling, and the operation of the Dallman scrubber—without having to continuously change the utility's basic rate schedules. Depending on the actual monthly costs of fuel incurred by the electric system, the effect of the fuel adjustment can be an increase or a decrease in your overall energy cost for the month. On your bill, the FAC-per-kWh in effect for the current billing period is multiplied by the total number of kWh consumed during the same period to determine how much your total FAC for the month will be. NOTE: Effective March 1, 2012, under order of the Mayor of Springfield, the average FY2012 fuel adjustment charge of $0.0237 per kWh was rolled into the fuel portion of the base rates for all CWLP electric rate classes. As a result of this action, the fuel adjustment for all customers in March 2012 was $0.00. Return to the bill graphic
Transformer Discount	Commercial electric customers in rate classes 42, 44, 46 and 47 are eligible to receive a 2% "Transformer Discount" on their electric bills if CWLP elects to meter those customers at 2400 volts or higher. Return to the bill graphic
Primary Metering Discount	Commercial electric customers in rate classes 42, 44, 46 and 47 are eligible to receive a 2% "Primary Metering Discount" on their electric bills if those customers, with the approval of CWLP, furnish, install and maintain the transformers that reduce the voltage coming into their facilities from 2400 volts or higher to the voltage required by the customer. Return to the bill graphic
State Utility Tax	Your electric bill is subject to the State Utility Tax, which is collected by CWLP and passed on to the State of Illinois. The state utility tax is 5% of your total electric cost or $.0032 per kilowatt-hour, whichever results in a lower tax amount. Monthly customer charges are not included in any state tax calculations made at the 5% rate. In this sample bill, the electric Usage is 649,200 kWh. Multiplied by $.0032, that results in a State Utility Tax of $2,077.44. Return to the bill graphic
Electric Charges	This is the sum total of all electricity-related charges on this bill, including the kWh Energy charge, the Fuel Adjustment Charge, the Transformer Discount (if applicable), the Primary Metering Discount (if applicable), and the State Utility Tax. Return to the bill graphic
Water Monthly Customer Charge	All CWLP water customers pay a monthly customer charge that reimburses the utility for administrative expenses—including meter reading and billing services—not covered by Water Consumption Charges. The amount of your monthly customer charge depends on the size of your water meter (as measured by the diameter of the water line coming into the meter). In the case of this sample bill, the water meter is 4", resulting in a monthly charge of $150.70. Return to the bill graphic
Water Consumption Charges	You will be charged a certain rate (dollar amount) per unit of water depending on your Rate Classification and your total water Usage during the billing period. The first five units of water used are billed at a lower rate than subsequent units. More information about water rates can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Water Charges	This is the sum total of all water-related charges on this bill. Return to the bill graphic
Sewer Fund Monthly Customer Charge	CWLP water customers who are classified as "Inside the City" (Rate 10) customers pay a monthly sewer fund customer charge to the Springfield Office of Public Works. This charge is collected by CWLP and passed on to Public Works. The size of your Sewer Fund Customer Charge depends on the size of your CWLP water meter (as measured by the diameter of the water line coming into the meter). On this sample bill, the meter size is 4". More information about sewer/sanitary customer charges and rates can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Sewer Fund Consumption Charges	CWLP water customers who are classified as "Inside the City" (Rate 10) customers are charged a sewer fee by the Springfield Office of Public Works for all water use that is anticipated to end up in the Springfield sewer system. (Unless your property is equipped with a sewer revenue meter, 100% of your water usage is considered to end up in the sewer system.) CWLP collects these fees and passes them on to Public Works. Sewer rates and customer charges are set by the Springfield City Council based on recommendations made by the Director of Public Works. Your Sewer Fund rate is based on your water Rate Classification and your total water Usage during the billing period. The first three units of water subject to the Sewer Fund are charged at a lower rate than subsequent units. More information about sewer/sanitary customer charges and rates can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Sewer Charges	This is the total of your Sewer Fund Monthly Customer Charge and your Sewer Fund Consumption Charges for the month. Return to the bill graphic
Sanitary District Monthly Customer Charge	All CWLP water customers pay a monthly customer charge to the Springfield Metro Sanitary District for sewage treatment services provided by the District. CWLP collects and passes all monies collected under the Sanitary District section of your bill on to the Sanitary District. Sanitary District monthly customer and Consumption Charges are set by the District. For more information about how Sanitary District charges are set, contact the Springfield Metro Sanitary District at 528-0491. The size of your Sanitary District Customer Charge depends on whether or not you are classified as an "Inside the City" (Rate 10) or "Outside-the-City" (Rate 11 or 12) CWLP water customer. More information about sewer/sanitary rates can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Sanitary District Consumption Charges	CWLP water customers are charged a sanitary/sewerage fee by the Springfield Metro Sanitary District for all water use that is anticipated to end up in the Sanitary District's sewage treatment system. (Unless your property is equipped with a sewer revenue meter, 100% of your water usage is considered to end up in the sewer system.) CWLP collects these fees and passes them on to the Sanitary District, which is responsible for setting all of its consumption rates and customer charges. For more information about how Sanitary District rates and customer charges are set, contact the Springfield Metro Sanitary District at 528-0491. Your Sanitary District rate is based on your CWLP water Rate Classification and your total water Usage during the billing period. More information about sewer/sanitary customer charges and rates can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Sanitary Charges	This is the total of your Sanitary District Monthly Customer Charge and your Sanitary District Consumption Charges for the month. Return to the bill graphic
Current Bill	This is the sum total of all the charges/credits described above that appear on this month's bill. Return to the bill graphic
Fire Protection Line	A business customer can have a water service line connected to the premises for the dedicated purpose of supplying water to a fire protection system. This service is billed at a flat monthly rate based on the diameter of the incoming line. On this sample bill, the incoming line is 12". Information about Fire Protection Line Rates can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Fire Protection Charges	This is the total monthly cost of your Fire Protection Line service. Return to the bill graphic
Project Relief Contribution	If you contribute to CWLP's Project RELIEF bill assistance program for in-need customers by authorizing CWLP to add a set amount to your bill each month, the amount of your contribution will be shown here. More information about Project RELIEF can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Round Up Donation	If you contribute to the City of Springfield's Round Up To End Homelessness program by authorizing CWLP to round up your monthly bills to the nearest dollar and/or to add a set amount to your bill each month, the amount of your contribution will be shown here. More information about the Round Up To End Homelessness program can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Total Other	This is the sum total of all miscellaneous charges—including Project RELIEF and Round Up Donations—that have been applied to your bill this month. Return to the bill graphic
Balance	This is the sum total of all charges—Net Balance Forward, Electric Charges, Water Charges, Sewer Charges, Sanitary Charges, Fire Protection Charges (and Security Lighting Charges, if applicable), and Other Charges—applied to your bill for the month. Return to the bill graphic
Please Pay This Amount	If you are not on CWLP's Level Payment Plan, the amount in this box will be equal to your bill's final Balance. If you are on the Level Payment Plan, the amount in this box will be the amount you are scheduled to pay each month under the terms of your Level Payment Plan agreement. More information about CWLP's Level Payment Plan can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic
Due Date	This is the date when your payment is due. Charges paid after this date will be late and will be subject to a penalty charge of 1% per month, with a minimum penalty of 50¢. Return to the bill graphic
Next Scheduled Read Date	This is the date on which your meter is scheduled to be read next. Return to the bill graphic
Average Daily Usage (KWH)	Divide your total electric kWh Usage for the billing period by the number of Days in the period to determine the average number of kWh you use each day. This can be helpful in comparing your usage from month to month or from one month to the same month in a previous year. Return to the bill graphic
Average Daily Electric Cost	Divide the amount of your total Electric Charges for the billing period by the number of Days in the period to determine the average dollar amount you spend on electricity each day. This can be helpful in comparing your usage from month to month or from one month to the same month in a previous year. Return to the bill graphic
Billing Date	This the date on which CWLP issued this bill. Return to the bill graphic
Contributions YTD Status	If you contribute to Project RELIEF or Round Up to End Homelessness, the total of your calendar year-to-date donations for each program will be listed here. Return to the bill graphic
Regular (or Prorated) Bill	If there are no fewer than 20 and no more than 45 Days in this billing cycle, your bill is considered a "Regular" bill and you will be charged for a full month's Electric Monthly Customer Charge, Water Monthly Customer Charge, Sewer Fund Monthly Customer Charge, Sanitary District Monthly Customer Charge, Fire Protection Charges and Security Light Charges. If there are fewer than 20 or more than 45 Days in this billing cycle, your bill is considered a "Prorated" bill and your monthly customer charges and fire protection line charges, as well as the number of units applicable to each water and sewer usage block, will be reduced or increased accordingly. Return to the bill graphic
Payment Plan	CWLP has several different types of payment plans, including the Level Payment Plan, the Level Pay Automatic Debit Plan, and the Variable Pay Automatic Debit Plan. If you are on one of these payment plans, information about that plan, your payment amount and due date, and your account status will appear here. If you are on the Level Payment Plan or Level Pay Automatic Debit Plan, the status of your plan, as of your last Payment Received, will be detailed in a table that describes your:
	Current Charges	The total of all charges incurred on this bill (final Balance).
	Payments to Date	The total amount paid into your account via your monthly bill payments or any Rebates (bill credits) you have received since your last Level Payment Plan review.
	A/R Balance	The unpaid balance (or credit) in your account as of the Last Payment Received. If your monthly payments have totaled less than your total charges since your last Level Payment Plan review, this part of the table will show a remaining balance. If your payments have totaled more than your actual charges, this part of the table will show a credit (designated by a CR). Each year, your account will be reconciled and, if a balance or credit remains, your Level Pay amount for the upcoming year will be adjusted accordingly.
	More information about CWLP's Level Payment Plan and Automatic Debit (Automatic Withdrawal) Bill Payment Plan can be found elsewhere on this website. Return to the bill graphic