Edenorte "Calculo La Factura"

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
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In Santiago here...

Does anyone know if Edenorte has suddenly changed the way they Calculate the cost of your consumption of electricity?

In the past, the formula was a graduated scale whereby you paid x amount per kwh for the first 200 kwh. Then x amount for the next 100. Then x amount beyond that.

But today I got my bill and it is 703kwh x RD$ 7.46. Does the formula change once you hit a certain amount? I got carried away with the A/C this month.

Thanks.
 

BigDaddy

Member
Jan 16, 2005
195
2
18
Electricity use

Can anyone tell me how much using the bedroom air conditioner affects the electric bill? I've been avoiding it, but seems like it's getting to the point where I'm gonna have to break down and use it. Also, do those hideous "energy save" bulbs really make that much difference in the bills? I hate those bulbs b/c the light is so blue and dull. I just can't imagine that the bulbs can make that much a difference in the bill. Any other ideas on how to save on the electric bill?
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
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But today I got my bill and it is 703kwh x RD$ 7.46. Does the formula change once you hit a certain amount?

Exactly! Once you go over 700 kwh the rate is RD$7.46. Say your monthly reading is 699 kwh, that represents about RD$3,500, but if your consume just two more kwh, say to 701, then your bill will jump to around RD$7.000. The trick is to realize that you should try to keep energy consumption to an average of about 22 kwh a day to stay below the RD$7.46 rate.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
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When we moved here 4 years ago we got our electricity bill down from RD$3,000 per month to under RD$500 by doing the following:

- changing almost every light bulb to low-energy (if you buy good ones they are not so dull)
- not keeping 6 lights blazing all night - if we leave any on it is not more than 2
- only using ac as a last resort - I hate it anyway
- switching off lights, turning off fans when not in room

Even now we pay just over RD$1,000 - RD$1,500 which is very low compared to practically everyone I know living in similar conditions.
 

carina

Silver
Mar 13, 2005
2,691
4
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BigDaddy said:
Can anyone tell me how much using the bedroom air conditioner affects the electric bill? I've been avoiding it, but seems like it's getting to the point where I'm gonna have to break down and use it. Also, do those hideous "energy save" bulbs really make that much difference in the bills? I hate those bulbs b/c the light is so blue and dull. I just can't imagine that the bulbs can make that much a difference in the bill. Any other ideas on how to save on the electric bill?

First of all, as Mirador stated, be under 700 kwh. that saves.
Energysaving lightbulbs does make a difference. Buy yourself lamps and put on the ceiling and you don?t need to see the lightbulbs. You can find cheap ones for ceilings at ferreterias from 150 pesos and up to about 250 that looks nice. More expensive available of course....
 

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
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Yes...I just paid the bill and learned something the hard way. What brand of bulbs to you recommend.
 

carina

Silver
Mar 13, 2005
2,691
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I buy mine just at any supermercado.
For my son we bought a round big one that goes like a circle...
He is 14 so for him it looks cool, that one was found at a ferreteria for around 230 pesos, the others usual are around 90 pesos.
But they last longer and they save energy... so in the long run..

I agree though they are not looking super nice, but neither doeas lightbulbs..
I have bought lamps and plafonds for all my celinglights and it looks much more cosy and nice..
 

BigDaddy

Member
Jan 16, 2005
195
2
18
Unbelievable

Chirimoya said:
When we moved here 4 years ago we got our electricity bill down from RD$3,000 per month to under RD$500 by doing the following:

- changing almost every light bulb to low-energy (if you buy good ones they are not so dull)
- not keeping 6 lights blazing all night - if we leave any on it is not more than 2
- only using ac as a last resort - I hate it anyway
- switching off lights, turning off fans when not in room

Even now we pay just over RD$1,000 - RD$1,500 which is very low compared to practically everyone I know living in similar conditions.

We do the same thing with the exception of the light bulbs. We use lights only in the room we're in. We rarely use air conditioner. We use celing fans or floor fans, but only in the room we're in. And our bill is always 3,000 - 3,500. (I don't have any idea what the use of the air is gonna do to it now that I have had to use it several nights to sleep.) We don't turn on the water heater except maybe for one hour once a week and the only other electric appliances we have are the fridge and little fridge in the bedroom, the computer and laptop, and printer, and the washing machine. I am at a loss to explain why there is so much electricity use in this house. I guess it must be the light bulbs, but that is just so hard to believe.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
You don't say where you live - that makes a difference. We live in a middle-class area of Santo Domingo, so the charges should be towards the upper band.

There are only two adults and one child in our household. Is your family larger, perhaps?

We use the water heater about twice daily, although it usually does not stay on for more than 30 mins. We use the washing machine three times a week.

Don't discount the possibility that someone may be stealing power, though.
 
May 31, 2005
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the low energy consumption lightbulbs are good also if you have an inversor. It helps to use less battery when the light goes out and your inversor kicks in. That's the main reason why my family uses them.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
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www.
Don't miss an issue of DR1 Daily News!

We warned DR1 Daily News readers on 23 May 2005:

Why power bills doubled
El Caribe newspaper carries in its Saturday edition the explanation for the steep hikes in the bills consumers in many areas of Santo Domingo have received after days of very few power outages. The newspaper explains that apparently the power distribution company Edesur has wised up and is providing almost zero blackouts to upscale areas in Santo Domingo where people have been running their air conditioners (due to summer heat) and reaping consumption of more than 700 kWh. Just one kWh over the 700 mark, almost doubles the rate of calculation for the kWh, as the Superintendence authorized in October 2002 in Resolution 31.
Those consuming under 700 kWh are billed a fix charge of RD$94.50, plus the first 200 kWh at RD$2.87 and the next at RD$4.09. But if the consumer is just one kWh over the rate jumps to a single multiplier of RD$7.46, an almost 100% higher rate.
The newspaper says that this is another blow to the middle class and those that pay for the service that traditionally have carried the burden for those that do not pay for the service. The newspaper also alerts that there have been many cases of misreadings of the meters.
The Superintendence of Power recommends that consumers first place their complaint with the power distribution company. If the company does not reply in 10 days, the complaint can be taken to Protecom, Tel. 683-9365. The Superintendence has also habilitated Tel. 683-2500 Ext. 240 and 242 for cases of excess billing. Misreadings can be automatically corrected the next month if a correct reading is made.
 

BigDaddy

Member
Jan 16, 2005
195
2
18
North Coast

Chirimoya said:
You don't say where you live - that makes a difference. We live in a middle-class area of Santo Domingo, so the charges should be towards the upper band.

There are only two adults and one child in our household. Is your family larger, perhaps?

We use the water heater about twice daily, although it usually does not stay on for more than 30 mins. We use the washing machine three times a week.

Don't discount the possibility that someone may be stealing power, though.

I live near Puerto Plata in a middle class neighborhood, but how could I determine if someone is stealing power? There are 3 adults using the power. Is it true that when you have items plugged in like lamps, printers, camera docks, vcrs, etc. that it's drawing power even if you aren't using them? I heard that somewhere. Still, it's my understanding that the main things that draw lots of power are things that heat or cool, like the water heater or the fridge/freezer. We do use the crockpot and microwave fairly regularly too. And the televisions.
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
3,563
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but how could I determine if someone is stealing power?

Ask a family member or a confederate to turn off the main breaker by your meter, while you stand outside in the middle of the street in front of your home. If the lights go out at your neighbor's at the same time your main power goes off, Voila! you have a culprit!
 

DogsRule

New member
Apr 14, 2004
147
0
0
Wow!

Mirador said:
Ask a family member or a confederate to turn off the main breaker by your meter, while you stand outside in the middle of the street in front of your home. If the lights go out at your neighbor's at the same time your main power goes off, Voila! you have a culprit!

Thank you. I will do this tonight.
 

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
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I have recently purchased a washing machine, dryer, vacuum cleaner, and... hair dryer, blow dryer for my wifes salon. I wanted to see how much these were contributing to my high bill. So did some testing. It takes about 7 pesos to run the washer or dryer one cycle. Since we only use a total of maybe 6 cycles per week I ruled that out as a power hog. Vacuum Cleaner is rarely used. For my wife to do a girls hair using the hair dryer and blower that used about 3 pesos.

Of course the culprit is the A/C which I was running every night. Now I am trying to learn how to sleep without it.

And I changed the lights to the energy savers.

My power usage has went from 23 kwh per day to 13 kwh per day.
 

Simon & Nicky

Bronze
Feb 3, 2004
655
14
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www.simon-hall.co.uk
Peanuts!

My problems with Edenorte have been documented here before. Basically, my meter went into tombola mode - when I got a massive bill out of the blue I complained and was told there were no new meters available. Instead, I was sent estimates at 703 units per month. I complained and they re-estimated me at 695 units. A couple of weeks ago they finally got round to changing the meter. Our consumption has since dropped through the floor to less than 100 units per week.

The more worrying thing is my final bill for the old meter. I would defy anyone to show me a bigger bill. I will scan and upload it when I have more time but for now let me just remind readers what I've always said - Electricity in the DR is expensive!

One months' bill for May - 38538.36 pesos. at 29 to the dollar it works out as 1328.90 dollars. FOR THE MONTH. - And no I don't use the A/C. :cross-eye

So when I read posts from people that are thinking about coming here to live on 1000 dollars per month can I suggest that you think again? :tired:
 

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
0
good point....

People have to have some money in savings to plan for weird things like that. Because they do occur.
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
3,563
0
0
My problems with Edenorte have been documented here before. Basically, my meter went into tombola mode - when I got a massive bill out of the blue I complained


Your problem may not be with Edenorte, but with your in-house installation. Faulty wiring is usually the culprit. Your meter may be spinning in 'tombola' mode from stray voltage caused by improper grounding. What you need is a trained electrical technician, not just someone who says he's an electrician. Also, you can complain to the Superintendencia de Electricidad (tel: 809-683-2500 ext. 240 / 242, or Protecom: 683-9368, and if you have a bonafide issue with your bill, they will have Edenorte reimburse you.