Most Families and businesses receive an electricity bill countless times a year. But are you getting the most out of the information it gives you? We’ll explain how we calculate your electricity usage, and make your bill easy to understand with our step-by-step tutorial.


How is electricity measured?
It’s handy to know how electricity is measured. There are a couple of ways, but the main one is the watt-hour. The watt (W) is a measure of electrical power. Light bulbs are marked with a watt rating, such as 40 W, and so are appliances such as air-blow heaters (around 1,000 W). This gives an indication of the amount of electrical power they need to work.

Electricity consumption is a combination of the amount of electricity (that is, the watt) and the period of time for which it is used. So a standard measure of electricity consumption is the amount of watts used over an hour: the watt-hour (Wh). For example, a 40 W light bulb turned on for one hour will use 40 Wh of electricity.

An electricity bill records the number of killowatt hours (kWh) consumed over a period, which is usually around three months when the meters are read. A kilowatt-hour is simply a thousand watt-hours. So, using a 4,000 W air-conditioner for one hour will consume 4 kWh of electricity (or 4,000 Wh).


Example
A consumer consumes 1000 watts load per hour daily for one month.
Calculate The Total Energy bill of the consumer if per unit rate is N14 [Take 1 month = 30 Days]

Solution
1unit = 1kWh.
So Total kWh = 1000 x 24hrs x 30days = 720000 watts/hour

We Want to convert it into Units, Where is 1unit = 1kWh.
So total Consumed units. 720000/1000…… (k=kilo=1000)

Total Units = 720.
Cost of per unit is 9.
So total Cost or bill= 720 x 14 = N10,080.


Part 2

Your tariff options
The rate that homes or businesses are charged for electricity is often called a ‘tariff’. Tariffs determine how much the user pays for electricity used. Tariffs are recorded on the electricity bill in cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh).


Two common types of tariffs offered by energy retailers are:

1 Flat rate: This is the most common type. The same rate is charged for electricity all day.

2 Time-of-use: This is where a different price is charged according to when the energy is used. Time-of-use tariffs usually involve peak, off-peak and shoulder pricing, which means users are charged less for electricity used during ‘off-peak’ or low demand periods and a higher rate for electricity used during high demand or ‘peak’ hours.

Source: http://energyhex..com/2014/12/how-to-calculate-your-electricity-bill.html

is this applicable to Nigerian user?

iamodenigbo1:
is this applicable to Nigerian user?

Very much applicable especially those who use prepaid

Crazy how many people don't understand most of the jargons on their PHCN bills. Nice work OP...

You forgot to add VAT, meter maintenance charge, and God knows what else to the N6480.

Infomizer:
Crazy how many people don't understand most of the jargons on their PHCN bills. Nice work OP...

Thanks bro, people will spend less if they learn of high consuming energy appliance

Abuamam:
You forgot to add VAT, meter maintenance charge, and God knows what else to the N6480.

Or even more, i modified the post. Prepaid users are charged N14/ Kw

Nice tips

Thanks

Please, how do you get kwh of unmetered customers?

I head there is what they called "Load Measurement Method". Can you please explain to me?

Mr Sheriff and Mr Waliu of Eko Electricity company (Ajah) will frown at this.

Ok. Lets assume I have the kwh. Is this formular to get the amount payable correct?

Amount payable = (tarrif class rate × kwh)+ fixed charge + VAT.

Pls ur urgente response is highly appreciated.
Thanks

Nice one....I know that energy bulbs save bills alot.

This is quite informative and impressive

How many kw is 2k worth of power bought from the electricity suppliers.

Najyin:
How many kw is 2k worth of power bought from the electricity suppliers.

2000/14 -- 142.8 kWh

ThothHermes:
2000/14 -- 142.8 kWh

Thanks man.

With this New Power Tariffs, consumption same but the units your money can purchase has dropped drastically.

Weldone.
I've been looking for this breakdown on the Internet.

Please try and correct the Per unit charge in your first example.
You used two different per unit charges.

Charpell:
Most Families and businesses receive an electricity bill countless times a year. But are you getting the most out of the information it gives you? We’ll explain how we calculate your electricity usage, and make your bill easy to understand with our step-by-step tutorial.


How is electricity measured?
It’s handy to know how electricity is measured. There are a couple of ways, but the main one is the watt-hour. The watt (W) is a measure of electrical power. Light bulbs are marked with a watt rating, such as 40 W, and so are appliances such as air-blow heaters (around 1,000 W). This gives an indication of the amount of electrical power they need to work.

Electricity consumption is a combination of the amount of electricity (that is, the watt) and the period of time for which it is used. So a standard measure of electricity consumption is the amount of watts used over an hour: the watt-hour (Wh). For example, a 40 W light bulb turned on for one hour will use 40 Wh of electricity.

An electricity bill records the number of killowatt hours (kWh) consumed over a period, which is usually around three months when the meters are read. A kilowatt-hour is simply a thousand watt-hours. So, using a 4,000 W air-conditioner for one hour will consume 4 kWh of electricity (or 4,000 Wh).


Example
A consumer consumes 1000 watts load per hour daily for one month.
Calculate The Total Energy bill of the consumer if per unit rate is N14 [Take 1 month = 30 Days]

Solution
1unit = 1kWh.
So Total kWh = 1000 x 24hrs x 30days = 720000 watts/hour

We Want to convert it into Units, Where is 1unit = 1kWh.
So total Consumed units. 720000/1000…… (k=kilo=1000)

Total Units = 720.
Cost of per unit is 9.
So total Cost or bill= 720 x 14 = N10,080.


Part 2

Your tariff options
The rate that homes or businesses are charged for electricity is often called a ‘tariff’. Tariffs determine how much the user pays for electricity used. Tariffs are recorded on the electricity bill in cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh).


Two common types of tariffs offered by energy retailers are:

1 Flat rate: This is the most common type. The same rate is charged for electricity all day.

2 Time-of-use: This is where a different price is charged according to when the energy is used. Time-of-use tariffs usually involve peak, off-peak and shoulder pricing, which means users are charged less for electricity used during ‘off-peak’ or low demand periods and a higher rate for electricity used during high demand or ‘peak’ hours.

Source: http://energyhex..com/2014/12/how-to-calculate-your-electricity-bill.html

I do not really understand this.
I feel this PHCN criminals are messing with my money. I changed the whole bulbs to energy bulbs, so I see no reason why I get high bills, and I use meter. How do I calculate it when I collect the number on it?

Wow! thanks for distributing electricity bill calculations. I never thought about how to calculate such a bill. Are these calculations applicable to any country? I'm from the UK, and I'd like to know if I could calculate my bill for the coming months like this. I would like to know at least what amount is waiting for me to pay because now I have installed even more light, and I realize that I will have to pay much more. Electricians from https://www.fordelectrical.co.uk/ have installed a lot of headlights outside that I'm sure will consume a lot of electricity. But instead, it will be beautiful in the yard of our house.

An informative post that never got to front page.
Lalasticlala, do you think this works in Naija?

nautybride:
An informative post that never got to front page.
Lalasticlala, do you think this works in Naija?

Yes but there are other variables not included but this is the bare minimum.
Variables such as the tariff plan you are under, base charge and VAT.