How An Expert Analyzes Utility Bills

©2013 EnergyCAP, Inc. ▪ @energycap ▪ #energyleader ▪ www.EnergyCAP.com

How An Expert Analyzes Utility Bills

Steve Heinz, PE, CEMFounder & CEO

EnergyCAP, Inc.

Guy RolandPresident

UTILIVUS


Case Study: Large Grocery Store

Problems:Water/sewer billing history was 175% higher than similar stores

Paying for a water meter serving several neighboring businesses



Solutions:Reassigned meter to correct tenants in the shopping center

Past charges on the meter were refunded going back five years



Results:Total refund amount was

$125,000Annual savings in the first year

exceeded $23,000


Our Approach to Bill Audit & Rate AnalysisOur Utility Bill Verification service is an integrated utility bill audit and rate analysis offering that starts with:

1. Understanding our client’s unique drivers of energy and utility consumption

2. Surveying the location, size, and operations of their facilities to study how energy and utility services are being delivered and used


Our Approach to Bill Audit & Rate Analysis (con’t.)

Knowing our clients is critical to:

Solving the complex billing errors that occur

Selecting the lowest cost rate options available


Utility Bill Audit: Cost Recovery & Reduction

Bill Audit: An historical analysis to recover refunds from past billing errors and reduce ongoing energy and utility costs to the lowest possible level by finding and implementing available savings opportunities


Utility Bill Audit: Cost Recovery & Reduction (con’t.)

1. We begin by analyzing the service point for each energy and utility bill to confirm the location, services delivered, meter settings, and other billing determinants. Historical billing data is analyzed for:

Load patterns and consumption trends that affect rate applications

Outliers representative of possible billing issues


Utility Bill Audit: Cost Recovery & Reduction (con’t.)

2. Billing Issues identified are further investigated to confirm the nature, duration, and financial impact

3. We work directly with the utility vendor to resolve any billing issues identified and get our client’s money back as quickly as possible


Common Problems Found In Utility Bill Audits

Estimated readings not corrected

Energy Supplier billing errors

Taxes assessed in error

Water leaks

Meters assignment errors

Meter unit errors

Meter reading errors

Rate errors


Case Study: Public School DistrictProblems:Electric billing histories found that meter readings had been estimated for over a year by the utility

kWh consumption and kW demand had been overstated due to the estimates not being corrected

Energy supply bills were also overstated because of the estimates passed on from the utility to the supplier


Case Study: Public School DistrictSolutions:We coordinated with the utility and client to arrange for actual meter readings

When the correct readings were registered, we confirmed the amount of the billing errors by the utility and supplier and requested refunds

Results:Total combined refunds from the utility and supplier

were $42,000


Case Study: Residential Apartment Complex

Problems:Water billings found that the water meters installed were wrong size

Both groups were paying higher water and sewer charges



Solutions:We contacted the utility and requested that the meters be changed to 1” meters, and that the normal fees associated with changing the meters be waived because our client had paid for excess unused capacity for years. The utility agreed.



Results:The combined first year savings were over

$19,000Future savings to increase in proportion to the utility’s published annual rate increases


Rate Analysis: Unlocking Savings OpportunitiesNext phase of the utility bill verification process is a rate analysis to hunt for opportunities to reduce costs by correcting rates assigned in error and finding applicable voluntary rates:

Historical consumption data is analyzed

Utilities tariffs are reviewed

Communicate with the utility for rate changes


Electric Rate Analysis: Caveat Emptor

Often it’s the customer’s responsibility to choose the best electric rate

Knowing how rates impact different load profiles is critical to choosing the best rate option available

Our research arms us with the load information to identify the best rate for each of meter

When we find that a utility has assigned a rate in error based on load size, we move the account to the correct rate and secure the refund


Water and Wastewater Rate AnalysisWater and wastewater rate analysis is often overlooked but can generate dramatic refunds and savings opportunities

Utilities often have different sewer rate classes that are based on customer type, and assignment errors can occur

Where water rates include capacity charges based on the meter size, historical water consumption is analyzed for optimal meter size


Water and Wastewater Rate Analysis (con’t.)

Identifying and negotiating sewer deductions within certain rate classes and can yield significant savings

Water leaks that occur over long periods of time can impact rates adversely, requiring rate changes after repairs are made


What Is the Common Fee Arrangement? The most common way for Utilivus to provide Utility Bill Verification services, Utility Bill Audit, and Rate Analysis, is on a contingency basis:

Utilivus shares a percentage of the refunds recovered through the audit, and the future savings generated through the audit and rate analysis for the term stated in the client agreement

There are no fees until our client has already received a refund or realized verifiable savings on their bill


How To Get Going

Fill out the contact form at:

www.EnergyCAP.com/utilivus


How To Get GoingGetting started is simple and easy after you sign the agreement:

Provide one complete copy of a recent bill

We will download your bills from EnergyCAP if they’re stored there

Provide a copy of each current energy supply agreement

Sign utility authorization forms that Utilivus has prepared

Sit back while Utilivus works to get your money back quickly

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Benefits of Integrating EnergyCAP with Utility Bill Verification Process

Historical data is already available

Critical refund data in EnergyCAP is superior to vendor data

Seasonal or other consumption trends are visible in EnergyCAP


Presented by EnergyCAP, Inc.EnergyCAP is used by organizations that receive many utility bills for bill processing, energy reporting and analytics

Over 30 years as industry leader; first release in 1982. (The predecessor software was FASER Energy Accounting).

Web-based and on-premise versions.

Financially secure. No debt. No VC funds.

EnergyCAP software is all we do—we don’t sell hardware, retrofits, consulting, bill payment outsourcing, procurement.


1,500 organizations use EnergyCAP.City Government (San Francisco, Baltimore, Sacramento, Virginia

Beach, Tampa, Denver, Jacksonville, Oklahoma City, Cleveland)

County Government (Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara CA; Loudoun, Fairfax, Chesterfield VA; Miami Dade, Charlotte FL)

Federal (USMC, Smithsonian, U.S. Dept of Energy Labs)

Commercial (Ryder, Equity Residential, Forest City, BJs Wholesale Clubs, CBRE, Northrop Grumman)

Education (800+ school districts, SUNY system, Univ of CA system, UCF, Univ of Kansas)


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How An Expert Analyzes Utility Bills

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