Anyone else on Direct Energy for Electricity? Check your bill

[Ken07AOVette]

My usage is down from the previous month, but exactly $100 higher.

Anyone else seeing similar bs?

[Swampratt]

You got me looking now, mine is $47 higher than last month with less energy usage. What’s changed? Can’t find the rate per kWh on my bill

[Ken07AOVette]

They aren't showing it anywhere. And they demand 30 days, with no contract. I am so done with these crooks. Going to Atco monday.

[Weedy1]

In Edmonton Direct Energy Rate ($/GJ) went 2.004000 to 1.515000 to 1.990000 from Dec219 to Feb 18. Everything shows on my bill as follows:

Dec 19 Dec 31 8.28
Dec 31 Jan 20 14.31
Energy Rate ($/GJ) Energy Charge ($)
8.28 x 2.004000 = 16.59
14.31 x 1.515000 = 21.68

Jan 20 Jan 31 5.82
Jan 31 Feb 18 17.88
Energy Rate ($/GJ) Energy Charge ($)
5.82 x 1.515000 = 8.82
17.88 x 1.990000 = 35.58

[Skytop B]

They are criminals! Had gas through them when I was in Red Deer. Installed a wood stove and my gas bill doubled when I switched to Direct. Went through the meter readings with Atco, Direct was billing for 15GJ when I only used 5.

[fishtank]

Originally Posted by Skytop B

They are criminals! Had gas through them when I was in Red Deer. Installed a wood stove and my gas bill doubled when I switched to Direct. Went through the meter readings with Atco, Direct was billing for 15GJ when I only used 5.

I use Epcor for power and water, they estimated my bills for 4 months . And once the came and do actual reading I was credited $500+ ... just call them and they will send out a real person and do a actual reading .

[Skytop B]

Originally Posted by fishtank

I use Epcor for power and water, they estimated my bills for 4 months . And once the came and do actual reading I was credited $500+ ... just call them and they will send out a real person and do a actual reading .

This was like 9 years ago. That's what they said at the time " we only read the meter every other month" "Next month you will get a credit... The credit never came, just more bills for gas I did not use... At the time Atco read the meter and my bill came from Direct. I had to dig into it with Atco, we went through the conversions etc (Meters read in cubic feet), bill in GJ. In the end they I had to pay fees to get out of contract and pay for a bunch of gas that Atco even said I did not use, was a total scam. I'm now on an acreage on wood heat and propane, at least I can burn wood and look at the propane gauge and I know what I am using.

[nimrod]

Does any body else have Distribution and transmission charges on your bills, my charges are almost as much as the usage charges, for power.

[colt45]

Yes I do and they are higher than the gas actually used
Anybody no why we have to pay for these ?

[Vacation]

I'm glad to be on propane. 1 delivery hit and good for 1/2 year. Not sure I could handl all the admin charges again......

[bat119]

Direct energy power bills are over complicated to confuse like cable, cell phones, buying a car or just about everything else, deception is money made.

75% of my bill is fees and taxes 25% is the cost of electricity I have no idea what most of the charges are?

Admin fee
Rider Z ?
Rate riders ?
Local access fee to special area ?
Transmission charge
distribution charge
I have heard ATCO is worse although I'll give them a call and check

[Grizzly Adams]

Attended a meeting of the Foothills gas coop the other night. Lot of disgruntled people there . Carbon tax is just going to increase till it kills us if we don't deal with it. Like food, you need heat in this country. and there's no legitimate reason it should be unaffordable. Residential gas consumption is a small portion of the total use and the coops wanted it exempt from the carbon tax. the province said NO. Think about that when you vote in the upcoming election

Grizz

[bobtodrick]

Hmmm...mine dropped $9 from last month

[bat119]

The only real savings is the price of electricity/gas direct energy charged .068 $/KW ATCO is offering .059
1000 kw x .068 = $68
1000 kw x .059 = $59
A saving of $9

From ATCO

Currently, we are offering 3 different plans. Your choice of a 1, 3, or 5 year agreement (the 3 and 5 year agreement would give you a $50 anniversary credit every year of your term). Our monthly administration fee is now $5.99 per service. Below is a breakdown of our rates: The electricity fixed rate is 5.99 cents/kWh and the natural gas fixed rate is $3.69/GJ. Our variable rates are based on a weighted average of the market price plus a service fee of 1¢/kWh for electricity and 89¢/GJ for natural gas. Over the past 4 weeks, our average variable rate for electricity is approximately 11.68 cents/kwh. Our average variable rate for gas is approximately $3.89/GJ. Both of the variable rates include the service fee already. Please note that the variable rate has the tendency to fluctuate at any time. Currently, we do have a promotion which we are excited about! All new residential and small business customers who sign up for any ATCOenergy guaranteed rate plan by March 31, 2019 will receive 50% off their energy use for November and December! This offer does not include distribution charges, taxes, and fees. We do not have cancellation fees and you can change plans at any time.

[Dick284]

For those struggling to understand your utility bills, here’s a bit of help:

https://ucahelps.alberta.ca/understa...your-bill.aspx


And yes the commodity you are consuming may actually be the smallest chunk of your bill. The cost to maintain and operate the infrastructure and process your bill is certainly an eye opener, and that is why it is a separate line item on your bill.
Unless you want to go off grid entirely, what can you do? Pipelines and power lines need to be maintained, repaired, and be of sufficient size to deliver upon demand the commodity you wish to have available night or day, rain or shine 24/7.

[KGB]

I was with direct energy and a few years ago switched to Atco... until last year when I got my neighbours bill in the mail by mistake and opened it by mistake. ...
We have similar size houses next to each other and I started to compare charges.... We had the same gas consumption almost up to a GJ... my bill was almost a $100 higher than his! After that I called and switched back to direct energy.

[Off in the Bushes]

The more I think about it. It seems that you could save money going to strictly power and use electricity to heat your house. As the saving in all those special fees would only be on one bill. You could use allot of electicity for $65 in fees. But I think that the fees are not based on a flat rate. But a percentage of the item used, so there is no winning.

[Ken07AOVette]

I could possibly save tons of money cutting power completely and running off the nat gas generator. We are with county gas which is the cheapest there is.

[bat119]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

I could possibly save tons of money cutting power completely and running off the nat gas generator. We are with county gas which is the cheapest there is.

Back in the good old days farmers with a gas well close enough to their farms were allowed to hook up for free gas, I knew guys that had heaters in the chicken coops.

[Cement Bench]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

The more I think about it. It seems that you could save money going to strictly power and use electricity to heat your house. As the saving in all those special fees would only be on one bill. You could use allot of electicity for $65 in fees. But I think that the fees are not based on a flat rate. But a percentage of the item used, so there is no winning.

for electricity once you get to a certain amount of power used the rate goes up instead of down, be careful

[buckbrush]

Originally Posted by bat119

Back in the good old days farmers with a gas well close enough to their farms were allowed to hook up for free gas, I knew guys that had heaters in the chicken coops.

The old house at my place used to be tied in to a gas well.

[FishHunterPro]

My was the highest ever at $205, that’s beats my summer high with the AC going.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by bat119

Back in the good old days farmers with a gas well close enough to their farms were allowed to hook up for free gas, I knew guys that had heaters in the chicken coops.

I think they have finally closed down all those "taps" in this area. One fellow heated a 40x80 steel quonset with no insulation. Kept it shirt warm all winter.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Guys, just wait until we receive February gas and power bills. Then with all the add on charges expect bills to go through the roof when we have a real winter month. it was nice we only pay $3/gig what will bill be like when we were paying over $10/gig a couple years back.

[32-40win]

I didn't look at all the usual krap that was on my Jan gas bill last month, other than the gas was 23.00, the carbon tax was 22.00. Direct and their plans are a scam on a good day. Tried it out back when gas was higher priced, before it tanked, and did the full utilities package for 3 yrs, glad it was that short. Haven't looked at the Feb bill yet, probably out in the mailbox.

[Jack Hardin]

I checked all my Direct energy bills for 2017 and 2018. I noticed the carbon tax for 2018 was almost twice much as 2017. I also noticed that they charge GST on the carbon tax. The old tax on a tax trick. Just think of the pay raise we are going to get when Kenney cancels that damn socialist carbon tax.

[coreya3212]

It is a carbon levy, not a tax. I think that’s why they can charge GST on it as well. It’s really not that much money to pay if it combats man made climate change and the majority of families get it all back from the government anyway.

[32-40win]

Sounds like a Trudeau/Notley line. Need to broaden your view a bit. That money is earmarked for general revenues. Need to spend stupid amounts of money on vacuous endeavors, just invent a problem that needs a solution. Even Green Peace's founder calls it a scam.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by coreya3212

It is a carbon levy, not a tax. I think that’s why they can charge GST on it as well.

It is money that I am forced to pay to the government, therefore it is a tax. Just like EI and CPP are taxes.

It’s really not that much money to pay if it combats man made climate change and the majority of families get it all back from the government anyway.

So do you have any evidence to suggest that it helps? And if "the majority of families get it all back" how is there going to be anything left to "help" with?

ARG

[Big Grey Wolf]

Got my February Parkland Gas bill, very surprised only $128 for 2200sg ft home. I guess birch log heater fires helped to offset a real winter month.