What is a service availability charge?
The Service Availability Charge helps cover all of the costs associated with building and maintaining an electrical system capable of delivering reliable power 24/7. This includes items like poles, electrical wire, transformers, substations, meter testing, buildings and maintenance, insurance, and much more.
Berkeley Electric Cooperative charges a daily $0.99 Service Availability Charge for residential services and $1.18 daily for commercial services. We made the decision several years ago to be transparent about the true costs factored into your bill, so this charge is listed separately and NOT built into the energy charge.
A full explanation of the Service Availability Charge was published prior to its implementation in SC Living magazine (pgs 20 B-C).
Related Articles
What is the service availability charge listed on my bill?
Berkeley Electric Cooperative charges a daily $0.99 Service Availability Fee in order to receive residential service and $1.18 daily for commercial accounts. This fee was previously bundled in with the Energy Charge on members' bills but was broken ...
Understanding Your Electric Bill
Fee Schedule
Fee Amount Membership Fee $5.00 Service Connection Fee $20.00 Temporary Service Fee $50.00 Overhead/Underground Conversion Fee $100.00 Non-Standard (Monthly) Meter Reading Fee $70.00 Meter Reread Fee $25.00 Meter Test Fee - Single-Phase $50.00 Meter ...
What is the energy charge listed on my bill?
The total energy used over that billing period measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) multiplied by the per kWh rate. Some rates, like Time-of-Day, include both on-peak and off-peak energy charges.
What is the Power Cost Adjustment listed on my bill?
The Power Cost Adjustment reflects the increases or decreases in the cooperative’s cost of wholesale power, which Berkeley purchases in bulk on behalf of all members. Berkeley Electric uses the PCA to adjust your bill to reflect changes in the price ...