Billing Terms

Here is an explanation of the terms used on your monthly WPS bill:

Budget Billing
Avoids high seasonal bills by distributing your costs evenly over the whole year.
CCF (100 cubic feet)
The volume of gas measured by your gas meter.
Customer Charge
Helps cover the costs of supplying equipment used to serve customers, issuing bills and providing customer service programs.
Degree Days
Units used for measuring heating and cooling requirements. Daily degree days are calculated by subtracting the average daily temperature from 65ºF. Heating degree days result if temperatures are less than 65ºF; cooling degree days if more than 65ºF.
Energy Cost Adjustment
The increase or decrease in the cost of fuel from the amount included in the current rates.
Estimate
An estimated reading is based on actual past use, seasonal trends and weather. Any difference between the estimated reading and the actual one will be made up the next time the meter is read.
Fixed
See Local Distribution Service.
Gas Supply Acquisition Service
The purchase and management of gas supplies for our customers, as well as the carrying costs of purchasing gas supplies in the summer and storing these gas supplies until winter.
Gas Supply Service
The purchase, transportation and storage of gas, as well as the acquisition and management of gas supplies for our customers; includes "Gas Supply Acquisition Service" and "Natural Gas Costs."
kWh (Kilowatt hour)
A measurement of electric energy. One kWh will light a 100 watt bulb for 10 hours.
Late Payment Charge (LPC)
Commission authorized charge on unpaid service balances that are past due.
Local Distribution Service
The safe, reliable transportation of gas across the WPS gas distribution system to customers, including metering, billing and customer service; includes both "Fixed" and "Volumetric" charges to more accurately match the actual costs of providing these services. Fixed charges do not vary with your usage; Volumetric charges will vary with your usage.
MI Energy Efficiency Charge (MI Customers Only)
Fee to help fund energy efficiency programs.
Natural Gas Costs
The actual costs of the natural gas itself, including the costs of interstate pipeline transportation and storage services.
Therm
A measurement of the amount of heat energy in natural gas, equal to 100,000 BTUs. A BTU, or British Thermal Unit, is the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
Volumetric
See Local Distribution Service.
WI Act 28 Fee
Fee required by a Wisconsin Legislative budget bill to help fund state District Attorney expenses. The fee will appear on bills from September 2009 through June 2011.
WI Low-Income Assistance Fee (WI Customers Only)
Fee to help fund low-income energy assistance programs, such as heating assistance, weatherization and energy crises.