Hidden Fee In EP Electric Bills

EL PASO, TX – There is a hidden fee in all El Paso Electric bills that is perfectly legal in the state of Texas.

A recent electric bill submitted to ABC-7 totaled $143.72. When the bill’s usage rate was multiplied by kilowatt hours used the total was only about $100. The extra $43 dollars were due to the hidden charge.

EP Electric officials tell ABC-7 the hidden fee is known as a “fuel factor charge.” The charge is what the EP Electric uses to buy fuel, which can be anything from natural gas, coal or nuclear power. It is then passed on to customers.

Currently, the fuel factor charge is set at .03319 percent of a dollar per kilowatt hour. When the figure was multiplied by the total use on the bill, the extra $43 dollars were accounted for.

The Texas Public Utilities Commission regulates what can appear on utility bills. Currently, the Commission does not require electric companies to itemize what customers are paying in fuel factor charges.

That is not the case in New Mexico, as the State Commission does require an itemized report for customers.