Billing Terms

Account

A unique number that identifies your electric account. Your account number is defined by your service address. If you have more than one service address, you have more than one account number. If you need to contact TXU Energy, have this number ready. You will also need this number when paying your bill in person at payment locations.

Advanced Meter Charge

A fee charged to recover TDU charges for Advanced Metering Systems, to the extent they are not recovered in a standard TDU metering charge. Acceptable abbreviation: Advanced Meter.

Average Billing Plan Balance

If you participate in the Average Billing Plan, your bill shows the Average Billing Plan balance. This is not the amount on your bill that you pay. Instead, you pay the full amount due. The Average Account Plan balance is the accumulated difference between the cost of your actual consumption and the amount you were billed. The difference will fluctuate over time as your actual usage varies from the average amount you are billed.

(Balance Forward) Accumulated Balance

The amount you owe on previous bills.

Base Charge

A charge collected during each billing cycle regardless of your demand or energy consumption.

Billed Deposit

A deposit that is sometimes required when you establish new service, or if your service has been interrupted because TXU Energy has not received your payment. It is not a prepayment of your account. You still must pay each month for the energy you use. This deposit will be held until you have made on-time payments for twelve consecutive months, or until the account is closed. If you transfer service with TXU Energy, the deposit will be transferred and applied to the new service address. Possible exemptions will vary for each client.

Billing Address

The address to which your invoice is sent. This address may be different from the address where the service is received.

Billing Cycle

The start and end dates for a specific bill. The information in the Client Summary relates to activity within this time period only. These dates are approximately the same each month.

Bill Date

Your meter read date. It is also the last day included in charges on a particular invoice.

Competition Transition Charge

A fee charged to recover TDU charges for uninsured costs associated with the transition to competition.

Connection Fee

A one-time fee charged by your TDU to connect electric service at one address. Typically, it is included on your first invoice and must be paid by the specified payment date.

Current Bill Amount

Amount owed for electricity charges based on consumption during the most recent billing period. This is just one component of the bill you pay. If you have unpaid charges from a previous billing period, they will be included in the total amount due. The amount on the current bill includes the service charge, energy charge and sales tax, but excludes any applicable charges for late balances, surcharges and any past due balances. Reflects the electricity consumed in the current period.

Current Bill On Average Billing Plan

Amount owed for customers on the Average Billing Plan during the most recent billing period. This is just one component of the bill you pay. If you have unpaid charges from a previous billing period, they will be included in the total amount due. The current bill amount includes the service charge, energy charge and sales tax, but excludes any applicable charges for late balances, surcharges and any past due balances.

(Current Meter Read) Advanced Meter Read

The current meter reading represents the current reading taken when your electricity meter was read on the indicated date. The previous month's reading is subtracted from the current month's reading to determine how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) of consumption you should be billed. This reading is provided by the TDU and is generally obtained when the meter is read. Meter readings occur approximately every 28-32 days.

Deferred Payment Plan Balance

Unpaid balance (amount owed on previous invoices) that is billed in increments over time. The amount due from the deferred payment plan is included in the total amount due.

Demand Charge

A charge based on the rate at which electricity is supplied to or by a system at a given time, or averaged over a designated period, during the billing cycle.

Disconnect/Reconnect Fee Amount

Amount charged by your Transmission and Distribution Company (TDU) to disconnect and/or reconnect your service (turn the electricity off or on) at a specific location in the event of non-payment of an electricity bill. The amount varies based on the type of disconnection. It cannot be removed.

Distribution Company Charges

Amount charged for services (such as installing new service cables, installing meters, conducting a voltage test, or disconnecting or reconnecting service) provided by your Electric Transmission and Distribution Company (TDU). They may also be called discretionary positions. The amount is determined by TDU, not TXU Energy.

Due Date or Payment Due Date

The date by which TXU Energy must receive your payment to avoid any late payment fees. Late payment fees are typically 5% of the amount you owe.

Energy Charge

A charge based on the electricity (kWh) consumed.

Energy Efficiency

A fee charged to recover TDU costs for energy efficiency programs, to the extent that the TDU fee is a separate fee exclusively for that purpose that is approved by the Public Utilities Commission.

ESI ID or Electrical Service Identifier

An identifier used by the industry to uniquely identify the home, business or surveillance light location.

(Final Bill) Final Invoice

The latest bill for service at your location. It can be sent to any address you request. If you transfer service, the final bill amount will be seen twice. It will appear on a final bill for the old location and will appear as a Previous Balance on the first bill you receive at your new location.

Gross Receipts Reimb.

A fee charged to recover miscellaneous gross sales tax imposed on electric service providers operating in an incorporated city or town with a population of more than 1,000.

(Guard Light Amount) Amount per guard light

A predetermined monthly charge for electric service to a watch light (exterior light for security purposes). This charge is based on the wattage or size (such as 75, 100, 150, 200, or 400 watts) of your specific surveillance light.

Guard Light Kilowatt-Hours Used

A predetermined amount of electricity, expressed in kWh, that you are charged for your guard light in a given month.

Interest Applied

Interest accrued on the amount of your original deposit at the rate approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Texas. This amount is credited back to your account each January. In the event that your deposit is returned before January, prorated interest will also be applied to your bill.

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.

Kilowatt-hours Used

The amount of electricity (kWh) used in a month. This is calculated by subtracting the prior month's meter reading from the current month's meter reading.

Late Payment Penalty

A fee charged for late payment in accordance with Public Service Commission rules. It is equal to 5% of the current portion of an unpaid bill (amount owed to TXU Energy). Charged when TXU Energy has not received payment by the payment date.

Meter (Meter Number)

The number identifying the meter at your service location. A meter is a device that measures your electricity usage.

• Actual

  Consumption determined by your TDU reading the meter assigned to your service address.

• Estimated

  Consumption determined by an estimate of your past energy consumption or past history at your location. For example, consumption may be estimated when your meter cannot be accessed because a fence is locked.

• Adjusted

  Consumption determined by an actual in-person reading taken after an estimated reading to ensure the reading was correct. This adjusted reading may occur close to the time of the estimated reading, or it may occur on the normal meter reading date of the following month.

Meter Charge

A charge collected to recover TDU charges for metering your consumption, to the extent that the TDU charge is a separate charge exclusively for that purpose that is approved by the Public Service Commission.

Multiplier

For some meters, the actual amount of energy used is too large to be recorded and the meter displays a fraction of the actual energy used. A multiplier is then applied to the difference between the current and previous reading to determine the customer's actual energy consumption.

(Nuclear Decommissioning Fee) Fee for removal of nuclear power generation sites

A fee charged to recover TDU charges for removing nuclear power generation sites from active service. Acceptable abbreviation: Removal of nuclear power generation sites.

Payments

The total amount of funds TXU Energy has received as of the date the invoice was generated.

Previous Bill or Previous Charges

The amount owed on your previous bill. This amount includes any unpaid balance on your previous bill.

Previous Meter Read

Meter reading from the previous bill. This reading can be actual, estimated or adjusted.

PUC Assessment

A fee assessed to recover the statutory fee for administering the Public Utility Regulatory Act.

Rate

Identifies your account's rate plan which determines the rate you are billed.

Sales Tax

Tax collected by authorized taxing authorities, such as state, cities, and special purpose districts.

Statement Date

The date the invoice was generated. Therefore, the bill covers consumption prior to that date as indicated by the date of the current meter reading; does not cover consumption between the Invoice Date and the date you receive the invoice.

System Benefit Fund

A non-avoidable charge approved by the Public Utilities Commission, not to exceed 65 cents per megawatt-hour, that provides funds for low-income discount, one-time bill payment assistance, customer education, for administrative fee expenses, and for energy efficiency programs for low-income people.

(TDU) Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company

The company that owns or operates the equipment or facilities that transmits or distributes electricity to its location. The TDU is also responsible for reading your meter, and establishing prices related to your Distribution Company's charges (if applicable).

TDU Delivery Charges

The total amount charged by a TDU for the supply of electricity to a customer through the TDU's poles and wires and other facilities not including discretionary charges.

Transition Charge

A fee charged to recover TDU charges for insured costs associated with the transition to competition.

Transmission Distribution Charges

One or more TDU surcharges on the customer's bill in any combination. Surcharges include charges billed as tariff clauses by the TDU. Acceptable abbreviation: TDU charges.

Total amount Due

The total amount you currently owe to TXU Energy. It includes any unpaid amounts on your previous bill plus the total current charges (service charge, energy charge, sales tax, and additional charges such as late fees, surcharges, and deferred payment plan balance).