It is often possible to figure out whether a customer is receiving discounted rates for electric and gas service simply by reading the utility bill. (See Chapter 7, ¶ B for a discussion of discount rates.) Most electric and gas companies in Massachusetts now follow a similar numbering system for their rates, in the format of “R1, R2” or “A1, A2” Whether the first letter is “R” (for residential) or “A”, the numbers designate the following:
- [“A” or “R”] 1: The customer is on the regular (non-discount) rate.
- [“A” or “R”] 2: The customer is enrolled in the discount rate.
All low-income customers should be on the discounted rate 2, and not on the regular rate 1.
Note: There are a few companies that may not follow the 1, 2 numbering sequence described above. Any company customer service representative (CSR) can quickly determine whether a customer is on the discount rates.