Another month, another power bill. When it’s time to pay, however, you see a much larger bill than you expected. Whether you own a small business with just a handful of employees or a larger chain or corporation, nobody likes high power bills. While you may feel as if you just have to pay the bill no matter what, there is actually a better solution.
Below, we will explore a few of the reasons why your bill may be higher than expected and how you can work to lower your power bill with the right know-how and team behind you. Read on to get started.
Why Was Your Bill so High?
There are a wide variety of reasons as to why your Georgia Power bills may be higher than you like or expected. Some can be helped through easy changes that help you control energy usage, while others are simply errors that can be rectified. We will cover both types below.
Rate & Rider Structures
Georgia power offers a handful of rate structures and possible adjustment factors known as “riders”. The term “rider” refers to rates designated for a particular class of service. Georgia Power themselves defines a “rider” as a modification to an existing tariff rate. Essentially, that means a rider is a type of rate on your bill associated with a certain type of utility service.
What many utility users aren’t fully aware of is that these different rates and riders can be combined in over 50 different ways based on your type of business. For many businesses, riders can shift the time period during which you are paying less for your power, resulting in overall better deals and lower bills.
For example, many car dealerships will have their outdoor lights on at night for security purposes, but not during the day. Adding a rider to your account could potentially help you pay less at night when the lights are actually on, thus reducing your power bills.
An electric rate consultant will work with you to assess your needs and determine which combinations of rates and riders result in the lowest possible power bills for your business.
Billing Errors
Utility billing errors can be easily overlooked when your employee’s time is stretched thin, supporting your business in other ways. Becoming aware of these errors and how to spot them could also help you save big, protecting you from costs you weren’t expecting.
Some of the most common errors include:
Untended utility meters:
When you have many units powering your facility, it can be difficult to keep track of every power meter. In some instances, organizations may be paying for electric meters that are not tied to their facility. Especially for multi-site organizations, it can be nearly impossible to keep track. In fact, correcting untended utility meters can save businesses thousands of dollars every month.
Human Error:
Misplaced decimal points, meter multipliers, and other human errors can all cost businesses thousands of dollars over time. An extra pair of well-trained eyes can often catch these errors.
Sales Tax Errors:
Many businesses and non-profits are unknowingly eligible for sales tax exemptions. Unless you want to comb through the state sales tax regulations on your own, an independent consulting group can help you find the best deals for you.
Georgia Power Energy Audit by Green Line Rates
Businesses big and small can benefit from partnering with a team focused on cost-saving energy contract management support.
At Green Line Rates, our goal is to help your business reduce power and gas utility costs. We do so by analyzing the above factors, many more, and negotiating with your providers. Best of all, we don’t require any upfront payment to save your company money. Instead, you only pay if and when we find utility cost reduction opportunities.
Change the way you think about your utility bill and restore your peace of mind. Before your next Georgia Power Checkout, contact our team.