Curious What Goes Into Your Energy Bill?
When you open your monthly energy bill, it’s easy to just scan for the total balance, find the date it’s due, pay, and move on. But, as summer temperatures start to spike along with energy usage, that total dollar number might not be quite what you wanted, expected, or can afford. You’ll want to look deeper into your statement to find out why you’re being charged and what you might be able to do about it. Often, that only adds to your frustration because, well, an energy bill can be confusing.
It’s understandable; there’s a lot going on there. What does this bar graph mean? What are these color-coded dollar amounts and percentages? And how can I untangle these numbers and line items to find out exactly what I’m paying for and more importantly, what I might be able to do to help these numbers go down?
Eversource understands — and we want to help you better understand what all goes into your energy bill. Watch the following video for a closer look at your bill. Then we’ll help break it down further so you can clearly understand your power usage and save you time, money, and frustration when you open that monthly statement.
Your Bill Breakdown
Several line items make up your bill, but they really fall into four categories — almost all of which is driven by the amount of electricity you use. First, there is Supply, which is the actual cost of the electricity you use in your home or business. This charge changes twice a year and is what Eversource paid on the energy market — there is no markup.
Another category is Public Benefits, which pays for state-mandated and approved programs and policies. This includes power purchase agreements, like Millstone and Seabrook nuclear power plants, as well as assistance and energy efficiency programs. Eversource is required to take part in the contracts or administer the programs and recover those costs from customers through this portion of the bill.
The other two categories — Local Delivery and Transmission — include the costs of safely and reliably delivering that electricity. This pays for the skilled workforce that includes lineworkers, meter mechanics, underground splicers, and support staff. It also pays for maintaining, repairing, and upgrading the local distribution system and the regional transmission system to ensure a resilient grid which is relied on by millions of people.
Regardless of which category they fall under, nearly all charges on your bill are based on the amount of energy you use. Your monthly electric usage impacts both supply and delivery. Using less energy can help you lower your bill.
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Keep Your Cool
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We know that your electric bill can be confusing, so we break it down for you by category.
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Many things can influence the price of energy, including the time of year. The cost of electricity typically goes down in the summer because the demand for natural gas to heat homes drops.
However, while the cost of energy declines in the warmer months, the amount of electricity you use to keep your home cool and comfortable goes up. On average, Connecticut customers use about 35% more electricity during summer months — and that can go up even higher during a heat wave. Even if you don’t change the thermostat, your air conditioner still must work harder to maintain a constant temperature when it’s warmer outside.
But Eversource billing can help. First, if you have an online account, you can view your usage history in an interactive graph, compare your bills across months and years, and even see which part of your house is using the most electricity. And if you’re tired of seeing seasonal spikes in your bill, you can opt for our Budget Billing program, which lets you divide your annual energy costs into level monthly payments so you will know what your bill will be each month.
For more information and a breakdown of your monthly bill, go to Eversource.com.
Weatherize Your Home
5 Ways to Stay Cool and Keep Costs Down
You can beat the heat by keeping
it out of your home. Seal up the gaps and cracks where you feel drafts to maintain a consistent temperature and make sure your attic is properly insulated. Weatherization can cut your annual cooling (and heating) costs by up to 15%. Begin your weatherization journey with a home energy assessment and service. By participating in Home Energy Solutions, you may qualify for discounts and rebates.
Summer months mean hotter temperatures, higher humidity, and a longer stretch of daylight hours. And if recent years have been any indicator, we can also expect an extreme heat wave or two. All of this means households will be relying increasingly on their air-conditioners to keep their homes cool and comfortable — and of course, that leads to higher energy bills. But there are ways you can limit your energy usage and keep costs at a minimum. Here are few ways you can save.
Learn More
When it comes to saving energy,
little things go a long way. Use solar-powered outdoor lighting for walkways, garden tools, or decorative accents. Replace the air filter on your cooling system at least once every three months to ensure it’s running at max efficiency. And you can insulate your hot water pipes to minimize heat loss and reduce the energy used by your water heater to maintain water temperature.
Make Small Tweaks
Often, you can reduce your energy use and give your appliances a break by making small substitutions. For instance, when it’s not sweltering out, use a fan to keep you cool instead of the AC. When it’s time to eat, fire up the patio grill to keep the kitchen oven from baking your house. And use a clothesline to dry your laundry to limit the heat from your dryer.
Limit the Use of Major Appliances
Don’t let the name fool you, electric heat pumps actually cool your home by pumping hot air outside (it can do the opposite in winter), and they are more efficient than traditional ACs. Same goes for heat pump water heater. Plus, you might qualify for up to $15,000 in incentives toward the purchase and installation of ENERGY STAR certified air source or air to water heat pumps.
Electrify Your System
When shopping for new electronics and appliances, look for the ENERGY STAR logo. Upgrading to these certified models will help increase efficiency, reduce energy use, and add up to long-term savings. This also goes for windows, replacing single-pane with triple-pane models to increase insulation and minimize air loss. (You can get up to $100 per window when you upgrade to ENERGY STAR-certified windows.)
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Interactive Sample Electric Bill
View a sample bill with definitions to better understand your bill format.
Why is My Bill So High?
The amount of your bill depends on how much energy you use. Your electricity usage impacts both the supply and delivery portions of your bill. Get answers and solutions to your biggest question.
By Monica Vanover on July 30, 2025