Understanding Your Bill

Central Electric Cooperative, a not-for-profit utility, buys almost all its power from the federal Bonneville Power Administration to deliver more than 95% renewable, carbon-free electricity to its members.

Because your kilowatt-hour use may fluctuate dramatically—mostly due to weather conditions—the co-op must have a consistent source of revenue to cover its fixed operating costs.

Why is there a facilities charge?

CEC has fixed costs necessary to maintain and operate its electric system. These costs include operations, equipment, buildings, labor and administration—everything to ensure your lights come on when you flip the switch. To learn more, see pages 4 and 5.

Why must residential members pay the same facilities charge even if they use different amounts of electricity?

Whether a member’s monthly electricity use is low, average or high, CEC must recover its fixed costs of delivering safe and reliable electricity. The facilities charge ensures members pay their fair share
of the costs to operate the utility.

Why is there a kilowatt-hour charge?

A kilowatt-hour is the amount of power consumed during a fixed period. Members can see their kWh monthly use and compare it to the previous period or the same period as last year. To easily access your energy use and electric bill, sign up for the web and mobile app SmartHub. Go to CEC’s home page at www.cec.coop to register for SmartHub online access.

How does CEC’s residential kilowatt-hour charge compare to the state of Oregon and the national average?

CEC’s average residential rate is 7.1 cents per kilowatt-hour, far below the state of Oregon’s 11.2 cents average and the U.S. average of 13.2 cents per kWh.

How are rates determined?

CEC periodically conducts a cost-of-service analysis to determine the appropriate rate for every customer class, including the facilities charge.