How electricity billing and tariffs work

An electricity bill is a document most people read only for the total. Knowing how to read a few of the other lines tells you what you are actually using, and lets you spot it when something is wrong.

This page is not a price list. Tariffs change, and any figure written here would soon be misleading. For current unit prices, always check KIB-TEK's tariffs page, which carries both the tariffs in force and an archive of previous ones.

The lines that matter

Account number. The number that identifies you. You will be asked for it when reporting a fault, disputing a bill, or using the online services. It is at the top of your bill.

Meter readings. You will usually see two numbers: the previous reading and this period's. The difference between them is how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) you used. Everything else on the bill is built on that one figure.

Consumption (kWh). A kilowatt-hour is a 1000-watt appliance running for one hour. A 2000-watt air conditioner uses 4 kWh in two hours.

Tariff / unit price. The price applied to each kilowatt-hour. It depends on the kind of connection you have: domestic, commercial, agricultural irrigation and industrial are billed differently. If a commercial tariff is being applied to your home, that is something to get corrected.

Fixed charges and taxes. Items added regardless of what you used. This is why a bill can show a small amount even when your consumption is zero.

Reading period. The dates the bill covers. When comparing bills, check how many days each period ran: a 28-day period and a 35-day period are not directly comparable.

Estimated readings

When the meter cannot be read — nobody home, or the meter is not accessible — the bill may be issued as an estimate based on your past consumption. The bill will say so.

An estimated bill is not a permanent error; it is reconciled at the next actual reading. But if several periods in a row are estimated, the accumulated difference can land in one bill when a real reading finally happens. Making the meter easy to reach avoids that.

Reading your own meter

If you want to know where you stand mid-period, note the number on the meter and look again a few days later. The difference is the kWh you used in between.

It is also the simplest way to measure what one appliance costs you: read the meter, run the air conditioner for an hour, read it again.

Under KIB-TEK's smart meter programme some customers have meters that can be read remotely. Whichever kind you have, reading the number on the front works the same way.

Paying, and the online services

KIB-TEK's website has an Online İşlemler (online services) section where you can view your bill and meter information. Signing in sends a password by SMS to your registered mobile number and verifies you against your ID number, so your number needs to be registered with them first.

Payment can be made at the regional offices, at the payment points the utility publishes, and through banks. The current list of payment points is on KIB-TEK's site.

Try not to miss the due date: unpaid bills attract a late charge and can eventually lead to disconnection. That kind of disconnection is different from the network outages this site tracks, and it does not appear here.

If your bill is higher than expected

Before assuming an error, work through these in order:

How many days is the period? A long period is naturally higher.
What season is it? Air conditioning in summer and heating in winter can multiply a bill. Compare with the same period last year, not with last month.
Is the reading an estimate? If so, it will correct itself next period.
Do the meter numbers match? Compare this period's reading on the bill with the number currently on the meter.
Is there a new appliance? A water heater, a second fridge, or a pool pump makes a visible difference.
Could there be a leak or fault? If the meter keeps advancing with everything switched off, there may be a leak in your installation. That is an electrician's job.

Disputing a bill

If you think a bill is wrong, contact the billing correction unit (fatura düzeltme birimi) at your regional office. The numbers are in the table in our fault reporting guide.

Have the bill itself, your account number, and if possible a photo showing the meter's current reading. A dated photo of the meter is the strongest thing you can bring to a dispute.

Using less

Most of a typical bill comes from a handful of appliances: air conditioning, the water heater, and the fridge.

Setting the air conditioning one degree higher, keeping doors closed, and cleaning the filters all make a visible difference. So does running the water heater when it is needed rather than leaving it on all day.

An old fridge can use several times what a new one does, and because it runs continuously, that difference accumulates across the whole year.