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Rate Information
Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) is the City of Alameda's publicly owned electric utility, and the City's Public Utilities Board, which is appointed by the City Council, approves our rates. Our rates are based on the cost to provide service; there is no profit built in. Instead, the revenue from electricity sales goes toward operation of the system and then to improving community services and quality of life for residents through annual transfers to the City's General Fund.
When we talk about rates, there are two different aspects: Customer Charges and Electric Charges:
Customer Charges
The customer charge is a fixed monthly charge. It appears on everyone's bill, regardless of whether a single kilowatt of energy was used. The charge is intended to cover the costs of providing a standard service connection and basic customer service.
Energy Charges
The energy charge represents the amount of electricity used at your home or business. It's measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and can vary every month. This charge covers the cost of producing and delivering electricity.
Demand Charges (Commercial Customers Only)
Larger commercial customers also pay a "demand charge," which recovers a portion of the cost of the wires and equipment built into the distribution system that is needed to provide them service. Since this charge is related to the size of the equipment used to serve them, it is calculated based on the greatest amount of energy that the customer uses in a 15-minute period during a billing cycle.
Controlling Your Costs
AMP offers a variety of programs to help you control your energy usage and manage your monthly bill.