For Your Information (FYI)

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DISPUTE YOUR BILL

If you believe your bill is inaccurate or for any other reason you wish to dispute all or part of any bill, you have a right to an investigation of your account by the Customer Accounts Representative. This investigation may be obtained by telephone or writing to the Georgetown Electric Light Department.

If you are not satisfied with the written decision of the Customer Accounts Representative or do not receive a written decision within 10 days after making your complaint, you have the right to appeal to the Manager of Georgetown Light Department.

If after receipt of the decision of the Manager, you still consider your bill to be inaccurate or if you continue to dispute the time over which an arrearage is to be paid, you have a right to appeal to the Board of Directors, Massachusetts Finance Development Agency, 75 Federal St. 10th Floor, Boston, MA 02110.

If you still consider your bill to be inaccurate or if you continue to dispute the time over which your arrearage is to be paid, you have the right to appeal to the Department of Public Utilities.

Write: Public Utilities Consumer Division
           Mass. Dept. of Telecommunications and Energy
           1 South Station
           Boston, MA 02110

Call:  (617) 747-3531 or (800) 392-6066

Fax:  (617) 478-2591

PROTECTION FROM TERMINATION - Residential Customers Only.

Serious illness. If you or anyone presently and normally living in your home is seriously ill, we will not cut off your service provided you also have a financial hardship. Have your physician or Board of Health telephone the company immediately at (978) 532-5730. Within seven (7) days of the phone call, your physician or Board of Health must certify in writing, to the company, that a serious illness exists. The certificate must be renewed monthly, or quarterly, if the illness has been certified to be chronic.

Infant. If you or anyone presently or normally living in your home has a child under 12 months old, we will not terminate your electric service, provided you also have a financial hardship.

Elderly. If all residents in your home are 65 years of age or older, the company cannot terminate your service for failure to pay a past due bill without approval of the Mass. Dept. of Telecommunications and Energy. You have a right to a hearing at the MDT & E before termination.

You may seek further assistance by calling the company at (978) 352-5730 or

Write: Public Utilities Consumer Division
           Mass. Dept. of Telecommunications and Energy
           1 South Station
           Boston, MA 02110

Or Call: (617) 747-3531 or (800) 392-6066

PAYMENT PLANS - Residential Customers only.

If you are having difficulty paying your utility bill, a payment plan may be arranged. Under this plan a past due balance may be paid in equal installments over a specified period. Current charges will be due in addition to the payments on the past due balance. The length of time that a payment plan extends will vary from a minimum of four (4) months depending on the past due balance and your ability to pay.

For information write:

Customer Account Representative
Georgetown Electric Dept.
94 Searle Street
Georgetown, MA 01833

Or call: (978) 352-5730

Hours: Monday to Thursday 7AM - 5PM

EXPLANATION OF BILLING

ACCOUNT NUMBER: Your account number is used for billing purposes. It allows us to access information pertaining to your account in our computer system.

SERVICE ADDRESS: The service address refers to the location of the electric service for which the bill has been generated.

READING PERIOD: The service dates show the date of the current meter reading and that of the previous page.

NUMBER OF DAYS: This field refers to the number of days between meter readings. Pay careful attention to this field, as it can vary from month to month resulting in some fluctuation in your bills.

MULTIPLIER: The multiplier is used to calculate your usage. The type of meter you have determines your multiplier.

USAGE: The difference between your current meter reading and your previous meter reading determines your usage. Electric usage is measured in kilowatthours (KWH). The usage is then multiplied by the rate per KWH to determine a cost for the electricity used. This total is shown in the summary column.

DEMAND: Large general service only. A demand charge is made for the maximum quantity of energy used over one fifteen-minute interval each month. See rate schedules for details.

KW: Kilowatt. The peak usage of real power over one 15-minute interval each month.

CONSERVATION SERVICE CHARGE (CSC): Conservation Service Charge represents the cost of energy audits performed for Georgetown Municipal Light Department Customers.

CUSTOMER CHARGE:  The customer charge will be charged monthly to each rate class.  If there is no energy usage for the billing period, the customer will be charged the Customer Charge, which is the minimum usage.

DISTRIBUTION CHARGE: The Distribution Charge is a kWh charge applicable to all energy usage customers in all GMLD rate classes and is charged for all kilowatt hours used during the billing period. The Distribution Charge recovers the cost of Distribution Operation and Maintenance expenses.  The Distribution Charge also recovers the Administrative and General Expenses including office salaries, expenses materials, and supplies.

ENERGY CHARGE: The Energy Charge is a kWh charge applicable to all energy usage of customers in all GMLD’s rate classes.  The purpose of the energy charge is to adjust electric sales to account for changes in the cost of energy that occur during the year.  The energy charge is calculate by determining the average monthly cost of power supply in $/kWh.  The monthly calculation of the Energy Charge is calculated by forecasting the monthly power supply costs for a given month and divide it by the forecast kWh sales.  The monthly calculation may also include a true up of energy costs in the months prior to the month which the calculation is being performed.  Energy costs will fluctuate during the year and these fluctuations can be recovered through the month which the calculation is being performed. 

CAPACITY/TRANSMISSION ADJUSTMENT CHARGE: This is a kWh charge applicable to all energy usage of customers in all GMLD’s rate classes.  The purpose of the Capacity/Transmission Adjustment Charge is to adjust the electric sales to account for changes in the cost of Capacity and Transmission that occur during the year.  The Capacity/Transmission Adjustment Charge is calculated by determining the average monthly cost of Capacity and Transmission in $/kWh.  The monthly calculation of the Capacity/Transmission Adjustment Charge is calculated by forecasting the monthly Capacity and divide it by the forecast kWh sales.  Capacity and Transmission costs will fluctuate during the year and these fluctuations can be recovered through monthly adjustments to the Capacity/Transmission Adjustment Charge.

HYDRO CREDIT: Residential only. PSY refers to the Power Authority of the State of New York (PASNY). Contracts between municipal light departments and New York State allow us to buy power from New York at a low rate. The savings is seen as a credit on your bill each month and will vary depending on the amount of power that we receive from PASNY.

SALES TAX: Business only. State regulations require us to collect sales tax from businesses whose use of electricity is primarily for non-manufacturing purposes (see state guidelines for details to obtain tax-exempt status).

DISCOUNT POLICY: A 10% Discount shall be granted on the Customer and Distribution Charge for all current Residential (A), Small General Services (B), and Municipal (M1) for all payments received through the end of business day on the 15th of each month.  When the 15th of the month falls on a non-business day or Holiday, the discount shall be in effect through the following business day.  No discount allowed on accounts in arrears.