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Budget billing for Electric and Natural Gas service
 
July 2008 E-140-1

If you're the sort of person who wants to know what your bills will be in advance, you may want to look into your energy company's equal payment plan. Natural gas and electric companies offer customers a budget-billing payment plan that allows the amount you pay each month to remain fairly stable year-round. The plan spreads your energy costs evenly throughout the year. The plan is designed to minimize large fluctuations in your energy bills from season to season. You'll know ahead of time exactly how much to pay--even during the high energy months of cold winters and hot summers.


What is budget billing?
Budget billing is a payment plan that allows you to pay the same amount on your electric and natural gas bills each month. By paying nearly the same amount every month, you avoid seasonal highs and lows.

What are the benefits of budget billing?
Budget billing gives you more certainty about what your electric or natural gas bill will be from month to month. Instead of paying high bills in the winter and low bills in the summer, you pay about the same amount all year-round.

How is the budget billing amount calculated?
Your utility company estimates the budget payment based on your home’s previous 12 months usage. Your budget payment is reviewed every 3 to 4 months and the payment is calculated to reflect any changes in use. At the end of the 12-month budget period, your account is reviewed and adjusted for actual energy used during that time period.

How do I sign up for budget billing?
Budget billing is available to all residential electric and natural-gas customers. Contact your utility company and ask about its budget-billing payment plan.

Regulated Energy Companies Puget Sound Energy Avista Pacific Power Cascade Natural Gas Northwest Natural Gas

July 2008
E140-1