News Stories
Sponsored by Earth Etch. Regulatory insight and compliance solutions for today’s energy markets.
Utility’s Tariff Outlines Estimated Billing and Meter Reading Procedures
Staff to issue report evaluating utility billing and meter practices
On October 16, 2026 Valley Energy filed its gas tariff that outlines estimated billing and meter-reading procedures for residential and nonresidential customers.
More specifically, residential bills may be estimated using available usage data when actual readings are unavailable, with additional efforts required to obtain readings after 4 months or 2 billing periods. Extended lack of meter access may result in a $25 charge. Nonresidential estimated bills are permitted under specified circumstances, including inaccessible meters, unreliable readings, or equipment issues, and must use established methodologies reflecting the best available usage data.
As background, the New York PSC initiated a proceeding to review estimated billing practices and procedures used by the state’s electric and gas utilities. The proceeding will examine whether changes are needed to improve utility practices, including how estimated bills are calculated, the frequency and duration of estimated billing, and the impact of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Automated Meter Reading (AMR) deployment on reducing reliance on estimates.
Next Steps
By February 11, 2027, Staff will issue a report evaluating utility practices, barriers to obtaining meter reads, causes of estimated billing, the impact of smart meters, the reasonableness of estimation methodologies, and potential recommendations.
Editor’s Picks
