Understanding Your Gas Bill
Nonutility Metered Service
This brochure is designed to help you understand your gas bill. If you still have questions after consulting the brochure, please call our Customer Relations Department on Oahu at 535-5933 (and press 2), or your Neighbor Island office.
If you receive gas from a common tank or holder, a meter measures how much gas you use, and you are billed accordingly. Commercial and industrial gas meters are read monthly, and customers are billed for usage during that period. Residential meters generally are read every other month by The Gas Company’s meter readers (except for certain meters capable of being read remotely, which are read each month). Bills are sent out monthly. Gas usage for months between meter readings is estimated, based on your average use over the previous six months. Any necessary adjustments for estimated gas usage are made on the next bill, after the meter has been read again. A separate brochure entitled “Understanding Your Estimated Gas Bill and The Return of Estimate” is available to explain how your bills show estimated consumption in some months, and then return the estimated amounts and rebill on actuals in months when the meter is actually read.
The dollar amount on your gas bill may vary for many reasons, including: (1) changes in the cost of crude oil, (2) variations in the length of the billing period, (3) colder weather, and (4) house guests. You are encouraged to check the meter readings on your gas bill if you have any questions about your actual usage.
This brochure contains a line-by-line explanations of the entries on a hypothetical sample gas bill. A sample bill with each entry numbered is also provided for easy reference.
1. Account No.—Refer to this number when speaking to a Company representative about your bill or account.
2. Class—This entry shows your billing classification (Res for residential, C&I for commercial or industrial, C for contract, NC for noncontract, etc.), which indicates the rate schedule used to compute your bill.
3. Service Type—Shows that your service is nonutility (N), and whether it is propane/ liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or high octane (H-LPG), and that it is metered, rather than tank or cylinder.
4. Meter ID—The identification number of your meter.
5. Last Reading Date and Read—Shows the date when your meter was last read and previous reading.
6. Current Reading Date and Read— Shows the date your meter was most recently read and the reading recorded. If the word “Estimate” appears, your current month’s gas usage was estimated based on your usage for the past six months, rather than read. Please see our brochure entitled “Understanding Your Estimated Gas Bill and The Return of Estimate” for a thorough explanation.
7. Read Days—The number of days between your last and current meter readings.
8. Factor—The number used to convert the volume of gas consumed, as measured by your meter in cubic feet, to gallons, which is the unit for nunutility billing purposes.
9. Gallons—The number of gallons you used during the billing period, which is computed by multiplying the number of cubic feet of gas consumed times the factor (item 6 – item 5 x item 8 = item 9).
10. Gas Charges—The charge for gas used during the billing period. It is calculated by multiplying the number of gallons (item 9) times the rate per gallon shown on this line, as taken from the applicable rate schedule (item 2).
11. Adjustment to Minimum Bill—Certain rate schedules require a minimum gallon consumption each month or other period. The amount on this line shows the difference between charges for the actual gallons consumed, if any, and the minimum gallons required to qualify for your currently applicable rate, if any.
12. Customer Charge—The fixed, monthly charge. This charge covers a portion of the administrative and general costs of servicing your account. The Customer Charge is assessed monthly, but at the customer’s option may be paid quarterly, semiannually or annually.
13. Other Service— The Company offers certain nongas goods and services, and your bill may reflect the date, amount and a description of any such goods and services you request.
14. Field Collection or other Miscellaneous Gas Service Charges—The fee for a field call to collect payment of an overdue bill. Other miscellaneous charges may also appear on your bill under Current Charges, with an accompanying explanation.
15. State GET @ 4.166%—General excise tax on goods and services, which is computed separately for each of Gas and Other Services.
16. Deposit—The Company may require a deposit to guarantee future payments. GET does not apply to deposits.
17. N-Finance Charge at 12% APR—A late payment charge of 1% per month, 12% per year, is applicable to unpaid balances existing on the billing date. GET does not apply to finance charges.
18. Total Current Charges—The total amounts being billed for the current billing period for Gas Service and Other Service. These two items are summed in item 19.
19. Total Current Charges—The sum of the total amounts being billed for the current billing period for Gas Service and Other Service.
20. Previous Balance—The amount payable on your prior bill.
21. Payments/Adj’s—Payments, credits, or adjustments to your prior bill.
22. Total Amount Due—Your Previous Balance minus Payments/Adjs plus Current Charges (item 20 – item 21 + item 19 = item 22).
23. Payment Due Date for Current Charges—To avoid finance charges (item 17), bill payment must be received by this date.
24. Amount Paid—Fill in the amount you are paying.
The Gas Company Offices:
Oahu
TOPA
745 Fort Street, Suite 1800
Honolulu 96813
Phone: 535-5933 Fax: 535-5932
24-Hour Emergency Number: 526-0066
Hilo
945 Kalanianaole Ave., Hilo 96720
Phone: 935-0021 (24-hour) Fax: 969-9134
Kona
74-5564 Kaiwi St., Kailua Kona 96740
Phone: 329-2984 (24-hour) Fax: 329-9153
Kauai
3990 Rice Street, Lihue 96766
Phone: 245-3301 (24-hour) Fax: 246-9581
Maui
70 Hana Highway, Kahului 96732
Phone: 877-6557 (24-hour) Fax: 877-0758
Molokai
Ulili St., Molokai Industrial Park
Kaunakakai 96748
1-800-828-9359 (24-hour) Fax: 877-0758
Lanai
730 Lanai Ave., Lanai City 96763
1-800-828-9359 (24-hour) Fax: 877-0758
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