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DSO Electric Cooperative Inc. | 201 Dakota Drive | Solomon, KS 67480 | PO Box 286 | 1-800-376-3533

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Why Is My Bill So High?

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  1. My Home
  2. Why Is My Bill So High?

Accurate Historyimagescazme251.jpg

Review how much power you've used for the last 13 months. We call this the kilowatt hour (kWh) history. This history is provided for you on every bill. You can compare your most recent month to that same month one year ago. Weather fluctuations may be a factor in any major differences, but this is a good place to start your search. The kilowatt hours you use are the main driver of costs on your electric bill.

True electric bill

Check to be sure this is a true high electric bill. Are there other charges beyond electric service? Any additional service fees (i.e. deposits, connections/disconnection fees or returned check fees)?

  • Have any past-due amounts from a previous bill been added to the total?

  • Are there ancillary charges added for other DSO products or services (water heater, security lights, etc.)?

  • Don't forget about local taxes.

Days of use

Check the number of days that are billed for your electric use. This varies from bill to bill due to the number of days in a month and a billing cycle may be a bit shorter or a bit longer so as not to make your bill due on a weekend or holiday.

Compare winter to summer

Check the kilowatt hour total by month. From the history, are the winter months higher, indicating some form of electric heat, higher hot water use or heaters being used on water beds?

Do the summer months indicate air conditioning? Were temperatures higher or lower than normal during this period?

DSO does offer an Average Billing Plan to help members with seasonal fluctuations.

Your electric meter doesn't go on vacationlawn_irrigation.jpg

If you leave your home for an extended period of time for business or vacation, any appliance you leave plugged in or connected will continue to use electricity even while you are gone, especially your hot water heater, freezer, refrigerator, HVAC system, landscape irrigation, well pumps, etc.

Most of us note that the TV and lights were not on, but we forget about these items.

Lifestyle

No two households use energy the same way, so comparing your energy bill to your neightbor's is like comparing apples to oranges. It is best to compare your current use to your past use.

  • Determine if the size of your household has increased or did someone stay at home more.

  • Have you added a new swimming pool or hot tub in your backyard?

  • Have you had "a guest" stay for an extended period?

  • Do you have hobbies that include the use of power tools, ovens and other high electrical resistance tools or appliances?

Lighting, refrigeration, cooking and appliances

Lighting, refrigeration, cooking and appliances account for 56% of the total energy used in the normal household. The location of refrigerators and freezers is very important.

NEVER place a regrigerator or freezer in direct sunlight or in unconditioned space such as a breezeway, garage, or out-building. The regrigerator or freezer will have to work harder to overcome excessive heat during warmer months.

Make sure that your refrigerators and freezers have adequate ventilation.

Equipment maintenancehvac_service.jpg

If an appliance is more than 15 years old, the efficiency of that appliance may be decreasing significantly and requiring more energy to do its job.

It is important to clean or replace the condenser, coils or filters on some appliances regularly. You may need to replace the appliance itself. Many times old electrical wiring will have loose connections resulting in increased electrical use and create potential safety hazards.

Seasons

The additional heating or cooling load will cause an increase in electric use. Heating and cooling your home averages around 44% of your total energy use. Using space heaters, fireplaces, livestock heaters or vehicle block heaters in the winter can dramatically increase your energy consumption. Running a dehumidifer or watering a lawn, gardens, and animals in the summer months will increase your energy use.

Weather

Lightning can sometimes damage your well pump, sump pump, or appliances increasing the running of these devices. If underground wiring-insulation is damaged, an increase in electrical use may ocur when the ground is saturated with moisture. You may want to consider having an electrician test your home's ground rod installations.

Construction or remodeling activitiesremodeling.jpg

Has there been any underground excavation recently? If you have underground wiring, the electrical wires may have been nicked resulting in a direct short. Many times room additions are completed without proper sizing of HVAC for additional heating and cooling loads.

Field visits

If after studying all the above information, you still feel there may be a deeper problem, we are happy to take your call and assist you. After handling the high bill complaint on the phone, we determine if a field visit is necessary to determine any energy efficiency problems or check the meter.

When should I ask DSO to test my meter

DSO encourages members to look for the cause in the above situations first. Meter tests should be a last resort instead of first. Meters measure energy use and because they are a mechanical device it is rare that they run fast. They are seldom the cause of a higher bill but often blamed. Less than 2 out of 1,000 meters are going to be wrong when tested. This includes running slow or running fast. Most old meters and faulty meters would more likely run slower not faster.

News & Updates

Thursday | May 1, 2025

Save Money - Sign Up for the Interruptible Rate

Do you want a lower electric bill? If so, then the interruptible rate may be right for you!
more
Thursday | April 10, 2025

Highlights from 2024

Here is a recap of the noteworthy events at DSO in 2024.
more
Monday | March 3, 2025

Wildfire Mitigation

Lately there has been a lot of discussion and news coverage on wildfires, especially in the western United States.
more
Monday | February 3, 2025

ELECTRICITY IS STILL A GREAT VALUE!

Inflation, right???!!!  Miserable. Undeniable. Backbreaking Inflation.
more
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Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

DSO Electric Cooperative, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives is a national network of electric cooperatives across 46 states that provides resources and leverages partnerships to help member cooperatives and their employees better engage and serve their members. By working together, Touchstone Energy cooperatives stand as a source of power and information to their 32 million member-owners every day.

©2025 DSO Electric Cooperative. All Rights Reserved.

  • About Us
    • Cold Weather Rule
    • Vision, Mission, & Core Values
    • Members Policies
    • Bylaws / Rules & Regulations
    • Cooperative History
    • Seven Cooperative Principles
    • Capital Credits
    • Rates
    • Forms
      • Auto Pay
      • Apply for Service
      • Budget Billing Plan
      • Light Outage Form
      • Prepaid Agreement
      • Request for Donation Form
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • Directors and Consultants
  • My Home
    • Why Is My Bill So High?
    • Energy Savings
      • Energy Saving Tips
    • Office and Payment Locations
    • Payment Options
    • Residential Budget Billing
    • Transfer Service
    • Smarthub Signup Instructions
  • My Business
    • Energy Saving Strategies
    • Sector Reports
    • Technology Applications
  • Outage Map
  • Products & Services
    • Co-op Connections Card
    • Air Source Heat Pumps
    • Geothermal Heat Pump
      • Heat Pump Rebates
      • Certificate of Installation
    • Water Heater Energy Efficiency Program
      • Water Heater Rebate
    • Compact Fluorescent Light
      • CFL Color
    • TESCO
      • Surge Suppression - Information Request
  • Community
    • Economic Development
    • Youth Programs
      • Youth Tour Information Request Form
    • Kansas Country Living
    • DS0 Scholarship Program
  • Renewables
    • BioMass
    • Geothermal Energy
    • Hydrogen
    • Hydropower
    • Solar Energy
    • Wind Energy
  • Safety
    • Education
    • Phone Scams
    • Safety
      • Electric Shock Safety
      • Energy Theft
      • Flood Safety
      • Generator Safety
      • Holiday Lighting Safety
      • Inside Safety
      • Outdoor Safety
      • Hot Weather Safety
  • 4KW Solar
  • Capital Credits
  • Contact Us