Billing Terms

The price you pay for electricity and/or natural gas ("energy") is made up of delivery and commodity charges.

• Delivery charge: What you pay SCG to transport energy to your home or business.
• Commodity charge: What you pay for the energy purchased for you by SCG.

Glossary

• Billing Days: The number of days in the billing period.
• Correction Factor: Some meters require a correction factor based on the pressure at your location.  This factor converts your readings to actual CCF used.
• Customer Charge: The basic charge for providing gas service to you.
• Daily Demand Metering (DDM) Charge: A fixed monthly charge for the cost of a meter sending information about daily usage to the Company. The charge is prorated based on the percentage of successful daily reads as compared to the number of days in the customer’s billing cycle.
• Decoupling Mechanism: A charge or credit on firm customer's bills that is a ratemaking tool to collect or refund the difference between the actual distribution revenue for a given year as compared to the allowed revenue for that same year as approved in the company's latest rate case decision. This factor will be established annually including prior year true-up and is approved by the Authority.
• Degree Days: The established method to measure cold weather: the colder the weather, the higher the number of heating degree days.
• Distribution Integrity Management Program (DIMP): A charge for expenses related to any pipeline replacement for cast iron and bare steel mains and services each year.
• Meter Readings: We make every effort to read your meter each month.  Bad weather or other circumstances may require that we estimate your bill.  Estimated readings are clearly shown on your bill.  To ensure proper billing and avoid estimated bills, please provide access to the meter and/or provide an actual meter reading to the company.  Call 800.659.8299 for details.
• Next Read Date: The approximate date we will read your meter.
• Sales Tax: The company is required to charge sales tax on certain services.  Exemption forms are available on request. 
• Total Gas: The sum of customer charge plus calculated rates.
• Usage Comparison: This graph compares your gas usage with your previous 12-month period. 

Codes and Abbreviations

• ACT: Actual meter read.
• CAM: Conservation Adjustment Mechanism is a charge that reimburses SCG for the costs of ratepayer-sponsored conservation programs.
• CCF: One hundred cubic feet, a standard measurement of gas quantity.
• CR: Credit.
• DEL: Delivery charge is what customers pay to have natural gas transported to their homes and businesses through SCG's distribution system.
• DDM: Daily Demand Metering. A fixed monthly charge for the cost of a meter sending information about daily usage to the Company. The charge is prorated based on the percentage of successful daily reads as compared to the number of days in the customer’s billing cycle.
• DIMP: Distribution Integrity Management Program. A charge for expenses related to any pipeline replacement for cast iron and bare steel mains and services each year.
• RC: Rate Credit.
• EST: Estimated meter read.
• PEAK: A charge for providing pipeline space to accommodate the customer’s highest daily usage.
• PGA: Purchased gas adjustment; this amount reflects the total unit cost of gas purchased.  This rate will change monthly as approved by the PURA.
• SSC: Sales Service Charge is designed to recover unique costs specific for those customers that receive their gas supply directly from the company.
• TSC: Transportation Services Charge is designed to recover unique costs specific for those customers that receive their gas supply from a third-party supplier.

Have Questions? Please  contact us .