Bill Scenarios: Then & Now Illustrations

Sangre de Cristo Electric Association’s (SDCEA’s) bill is going to look different in February. Will your bill increase or decrease? That will depend on how much energy you use.

Here are some common examples of actual SDCEA bills. You can look up your specific bill online to compare results by logging in to SmartHub from our website.

Keep in mind that your energy charge is based on the amount of energy you use. Comparing year to year is only useful in general terms if you use nearly the same amount of energy in the comparison. If we experience an unusually cold month, you will likely use more energy than the year before. Or if it is an exceptionally warm month, you will likely use less energy.

Bill Scenario 1 – Residential Home Outside of Town or City Limits

In January 2021, a local family living in a home with some electric baseboard heat and a woodstove had this bill.

In 2022, if the family uses the same amount of power, their bill will actually be lower than it was in 2021, even factoring in the $1 increase in the Wildfire Mitigation Rate Rider in 2022 and the new $46.15 service availability charge.

There is a $17.92 savings for the month from 2021 to 2022.

Bill scenario 1 for 2021 and 2022

Bill Scenario 2 – Home in the Town of Buena Vista

The following is a 2021 February bill of a Buena Vista resident. They have a mix of electric and gas heating and appliances.

In 2022, if the family uses the same amount of power, their bill will be about the same, $3.84 higher, than it was in 2021, again factoring in the $1 increase in the Wildfire Mitigation Rate Rider and the new $46.15 service availability charge.

Bill scenario 2 for 2021 and 2022

Bill Scenario 3 – Part-time Resident Outside of Town or City Limits

In the next case, this consumer is a seasonal resident who leaves the area for Arizona in the winter months. They winterize their home for the most part while they are gone, leaving an appliance plugged in. Here is a copy of their bill from January 2021.

There is a $14.67 increase for the month from 2021 to 2022 under the rate restructure.

Bill scenario 3 for 2021 and 2022

Bill Scenario 4 – Net Meter (Residential Solar) in the Town of Buena Vista

The final example is that of a net meter (residential solar) consumer. While the power generated by the consumer offsets much of their cost of energy, they still rely on the electric grid to provide electricity for a portion of their power.

In this scenario, the bill increases by $39.68. The increased service availability charge and the distribution charge, which are designed to decrease the subsidization of consumers whose use less energy by consumers who use more energy, impact this bill more significantly. The distribution charge reflects the cost of delivering energy to the consumer when their solar array is not generating, such at night or when it is cloudy.

Bill scenario 4 for 2021 and 2022