How to Read Your Post-Solar Utility Bill - AEP

Our goal is to compare the kWh that AEP says you exported to the grid with the same figures reported in your Enphase monitoring app.

For starters, you’ll want to ensure you’re using a utility statement that reflects your “actual” usage as opposed to your “estimated” usage. This refers to whether the utility actually read your meter during this period or if they’re estimating usage based on your previous patterns.

Once you’ve confirmed your AEP statement shows “actual” usage, you’ll want to locate the “Meter Read Details” on page 3. It should look like this:

You’ll then want to open your Enphase monitoring and align the date range with the AEP statement you’re comparing it to. On your AEP statement, it’s defined as the Service Period date. You can select that date range under the custom energy section in Enphase.

In this example, we’re using the date range 8/24-9/25.

In Enphase, it will look like this (see color coding below):

How much energy was sent to the grid?

On the AEP statement this is shown as -686 kWh Rcvd (ie: received by the grid). In Enphase, it’s depicted as 654.1 kWh exported to the grid. Again, this will never be a perfect match, but these figures are roughly aligned.

AEP -686 kWh Rcvd (received by the grid) = Enphase 654.1 kWh exported to the grid

How much energy was drawn from the grid?

On the AEP statement, this is shown as 835 kWh Dlvd (ie: delivered by the grid). Enphase shows this figure as 788.4 kWh Imported by the grid.

AEP 835 kWh Dlvd (delivered by the grid) = Enphase 788.4 kWh Imported by the grid

What was the total net usage?

AEP indicates the net usage was 149 kWh. Enphase shows this figure as 134.2 kWh net imported. So in this example, the homeowner used a little more than they produced during this date range, however it shows their billable usage as 0 kWh because their solar credits covered their usage for the month.

AEP Net Usage 149 kWh = Enphase 134.2 kWh Net Imported

So there you have it –

Yes, this is a lot of information, but hopefully it helps you interpret the data you see from your utility and compare it with the data available through your solar monitoring.

If you’re in AEP West Virginia and suspect you’re being misbilled, check out our new analytics tool here to confirm.

Reach us directly if you have any further questions about your bill: service@solarholler.com or 304-362-8390.