Customer or account charge
A monthly account, meter, service, or base charge that usually appears even when usage is low.
Fixed charge utility bill calculator
See why a lower-usage bill may not fall by the same percent.
Use this for electric, water, sewer, or combined utility bills that include customer charges, base fees, delivery fees, taxes, or minimum bill lines.
Electric bill
$226
Energy$142
Delivery$48.00
Fees$36.00
All-in rate
$0.246 per kWh
Best next check
Cooling hours
Fixed charge inputs
Compare the usage-based part of a bill with charges that stay even when usage drops.
Fixed charge share
28%
$56.00 fixed charges inside a $201 bill.
Projected savings
$28.90
20% lower usage drops the bill by 14%.
Projected bill
$172
Usage falls to 680 units; fixed lines stay the same.
All-in rate
$0.236
After the usage cut, the all-in rate is $0.252 per unit.
Fixed fee breakdown
Variable usage
850 units at $0.170 per unit
$145
Customer charge
Monthly account, service, or meter charge
$16.00
Fixed delivery or service
Distribution, base service, minimum bill, or similar fixed line
$28.00
Taxes and recurring fees
Taxes, programs, stormwater, riders, or other non-usage items
$12.00
Why the bill does not fall evenly
Fixed charges stay on the bill, so the bill usually drops less than usage does.
Usage-only savings would be $28.90. The fixed charge total of $56.00 is the part that does not move with usage in this estimate.
Fixed charge buckets
A lower-usage bill can stay high because not every line is variable.
The calculator separates usage-based cost from charges that stay on the bill. That makes savings estimates more realistic before you change appliances, watering habits, or rate plans.
Delivery or service minimum
Distribution, transmission, sewer minimums, base water service, or other infrastructure lines that may not follow usage.
Taxes, riders, and programs
Recurring taxes, public-purpose charges, riders, stormwater fees, and local programs that can make savings look smaller.
One-time account lines
Deposits, late fees, reconnect charges, prior balances, corrections, and credits should be separated before judging normal savings.
Calculation order
Calculate savings on the variable part, then add fixed charges back.
This keeps the estimate honest. A 20% usage cut rarely means a 20% bill cut when base charges, delivery, sewer, taxes, or minimums remain.
1
Start with the total bill and circle every line that does not depend on kWh, gallons, CCF, or therms.
2
Add customer charges, base charges, fixed delivery, minimum bills, taxes, riders, and recurring fees.
3
Calculate the fixed charge share by dividing fixed charges by the full bill total.
4
Estimate usage savings only on the variable part of the bill, then add fixed charges back in.
5
Use the projected bill drop to decide whether usage reduction, rate shopping, or fee review matters most.
Result patterns
Use the fixed-charge share to choose the next move.
High fixed share
Fixed charges are a large part of the bill. Usage cuts still help, but the monthly total will not fall in the same percentage as kWh or gallons.
Mostly variable
Most of the bill follows usage. Efficiency upgrades, behavior changes, and appliance scheduling should show a stronger dollar impact.
Minimum bill pressure
A minimum charge can keep the total from falling below a floor. This is common on some water, sewer, trash, and electric service bills.
One-time distortion
Deposits, prior balances, late fees, and corrections can make a bill look fixed-heavy. Remove those before comparing normal months.
Bill scan
Line items to mark before estimating savings.
Customer charge
Account access, meter, service, or basic monthly charge.
Delivery or distribution
Fixed delivery, base service, wires, pipes, sewer, or infrastructure line.
Minimum bill
A floor that applies even if usage is low or seasonal.
Taxes and riders
Recurring public-purpose, stormwater, local tax, rider, or program fees.
Account adjustments
Deposits, late fees, prior balances, reconnect fees, credits, and corrections.
Good savings estimate
A good estimate compares the bill before and after usage drops, but keeps unavoidable monthly lines in both totals.
Use the fixed-charge result next
Utility bill explainer
Separate electric, water, sewer, delivery, fixed fees, taxes, and all-in rates.
Open pageElectric delivery charge calculator
Break down delivery charges, customer fees, riders, taxes, and supply cost.
Open pageUtility bill spike calculator
Compare two bills to see whether usage, rates, or fixed charges changed.
Open pageFAQ
Short answers for search visitors and bill-checking moments.
Why did my utility bill not drop when I used less?
Many utility bills include fixed customer charges, delivery fees, minimum charges, taxes, riders, and recurring service fees. Those charges can stay even when kWh, gallons, or CCF usage drops.
How do I calculate fixed charges on a utility bill?
Add the customer charge, base charge, fixed delivery charge, minimum bill, recurring fees, taxes, and other non-usage line items. Then compare that fixed total with the full bill.
Can lowering usage still save money if fixed charges are high?
Yes, but the bill usually drops by less than the usage percentage. Usage cuts only reduce the variable part of the bill unless a fee or minimum charge also changes.