In order not to overpay if there is no meter in the apartment, you need to know what standards of electricity consumption are accepted and how to correctly calculate it.
One of the most important types of housing and communal services is electricity. It can be classified in the first category in terms of importance, since most modern equipment cannot work without it.
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In Russia, several years ago, rules were adopted that change every year. To perform the calculation correctly, you need to know the current regional indicator.
Basis for determining standards
The assignment of electricity consumption standards is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the following legislative acts (the file will open in a new tab):
- Government Decree No. 614, adopted in July 2017 and defining the rules of social norms for electrical energy. Read more.
- Law No. 35-FZ, adopted in March 2003 with amendments made in 2022 and regulating general issues of electricity supply. Read more.
- Law No. 261-FZ, approved in November 2009 and designed to reduce losses in the energy supply process and promote the introduction of energy-saving technologies. Read more.
Relatively recent adjustments were made in 2013, after which the standards remained unchanged until 2022. As a result of those amendments, the values increased by 10 percent compared to what existed before.
These measures are designed to encourage consumers to install individual metering devices.
What influences the size of the standard
Due to the payment rules, it is preferable for the consumer to install a meter to determine the payment amount. In this case, the bill size will be significantly lower than when calculating according to the norms.
But sometimes the unsatisfactory condition of energy supply systems or the reluctance of the owner prevents the installation of an individual meter. In this case, there is no other choice but to set the payment amount by calculating according to the standards.
The standard indicator is determined by the following factors:
- residential and non-residential area in the apartment;
- the number of residents registered in a given living space;
- finding housing in the private sector or apartment building;
- the presence of an electric stove for cooking;
- way of organizing heating;
- whether the object belongs to an urban or rural area.
The standards are calculated empirically, after analyzing the results of actual measurements of indicators for several consumers in different regions of the country and divided into several groups.
Electricity consumption standards in some regions
The calculation methodology has been developed for the entire country, but local authorities have the right to determine the indicated indicators for their region, taking into account the influence of the region’s characteristics on the cost of electricity generation and delivery. But the deviation from the national value should not exceed 40 percent.
The maximum values of the standards established in the Russian Federation for housing equipped with an electric or gas stove (in kWh) are:
- single people with a one-room apartment - from 108 to 263, or from 81 to 185;
- families (for each resident), under appropriate conditions - in the range of 37 - 89 or 28 - 63.
When calculating standards, the following additional factors are taken into account:
- for those living in rural areas, the value increases by 90 kWh, since energy may be required in the household;
- for pensioners living without other relatives, in the absence of a meter for a good reason, the calculation is carried out according to the social norm established by the minimum consumption value;
- If a meter is not installed at the dacha, if there are appropriate grounds, regardless of the size of the family, the calculation is carried out according to the norms for one person.
More information about the size of the established standards can be found in the decrees of local authorities.
Big waste: what causes it and how to reduce it?
As a rule, high energy consumption occurs due to irrational use of utilities. In almost any situation, you can slightly (and sometimes significantly) reduce the meter readings with the help of trivial but reasonable savings.
- The first thing that will save kilowatts very significantly is the installation of energy-saving lamps. Conventional light bulbs are the main energy consumer after the refrigerator in most families. Therefore, even the high price of purchasing energy-saving light bulbs, especially considering their long service life, is a wise investment.
- The second method is the simplest control over switched on but not used electricity consumers. Often, many people simply forget to turn off the lights, but the meter continues to work.
- Using the advantages of a two-tariff electric meter, for example, washing at a “cheaper” time, heating the apartment with a heated floor exclusively at night, etc., will provide significant savings.
- When purchasing new electrical equipment, you need to look at the energy consumption class and strive for class “A”, which will also reduce energy consumption.
- If your budget allows, you can purchase “smart home” devices that can turn off and on consumption sources according to a pre-configured program, minimizing the burned kilowatts.
If you have the opportunity to spend a small amount of time - from an hour to a day, depending on the chosen accounting method, calculate the consumption parameters and compare the resulting figure with friends living in a similar apartment, you will be able to roughly understand how high or low your level of electricity consumption is. But in any case, consumption can almost always be reduced by saving your own money.
Calculation method
When calculating payment for consumed resources without a meter, the following formula is used:
C = K x L x Ts,
wherein
- C – total payment amount;
- K – number of people living in the living space;
- L – indicator of the limit approved in the region;
- Ts is the size of the tariff rate for one kWh, in accordance with the regulations of local authorities.
The use of an additional increasing factor is provided. Its introduction is intended to encourage citizens to install meters. The increasing factor is not used only in a situation where the installation of an individual meter is not possible due to the disrepair of the housing or the poor condition of the electrical networks.
When you have to pay taking into account the standards if you have an electric meter
In some situations, consumers have to pay according to standards even if they have an electric meter. This is necessary if:
- the metering device is out of order;
- the owner of the premises did not report indicator data to the utility company;
- access to the metering device is not provided to an employee of the energy supply company;
- the meter was damaged intentionally.
If the consumer does not provide the management company with information regarding the meter readings, the amount for the next quarter is calculated based on the average value. After the specified period, if the situation has not changed, payment is calculated according to the norms.
The breakdown of the electric meter must be confirmed by a corresponding report drawn up based on the results of an inspection of the device by a representative of the utility company. The owner must immediately report problems with the operation of the device orally (in person or by telephone) or in writing in order to record the fact of the breakdown.
Important! The electric meter can only be used within the verification period. If the verification is overdue, the meter readings are invalid.
The owner is obliged to monitor the condition of the electric meter and promptly provide the device for verification to specialized organizations that have the appropriate license.
Features of recalculations
Recalculation of fees in connection with social norms is an issue that deserves separate consideration. When such rules are applied, some categories of citizens gain access to additional benefits. This usually applies to pensioners, large families, and so on. The following rules are introduced for them:
- For the first year, the entire amount of energy consumed is paid within the current norm.
- In the future, the fee increases by 1.5 times.
The consumer can submit a written application himself if there is a right to a benefit, but until now it has not been possible to use it. The recount must be carried out no later than 10 days after receipt of all documents.
The same rules apply to households, regardless of category
But it is important to pay attention to registering citizens or deregistering them at a particular address
Registration authorities also transmit information related to the number of residents. Performers carry out recalculation if certain information turns out to be unfounded. The period is standard - no more than the previous three months.
Social norms
In order to support socially unprotected segments of the population, the state has adopted restrictions establishing the permitted limit, within which energy is paid at a preferential price.
The limit is set at 300 kWh. Up to the specified value, the price of electricity is significantly lower than in the case of excess. In addition to payment benefits, this measure is aimed at saving resources, since the consumer is interested in reducing costs in order to reduce the payment amount.
The government postponed the introduction of social norms for electricity
The government returned to discussing the introduction of a social standard for electricity in September last year.
Then the corresponding proposals were voiced at a meeting with Dmitry Kozak by a representative of the Ministry of Economic Development. By January 15, the ministry was supposed to prepare proposals for the government. They have remained almost unchanged since September: the ministry proposed maintaining the basic tariff for household consumption of up to 300 kWh per month. Consumption in excess of this norm will be paid at an increased tariff, and if the meter shows more than 500 kWh per month, consumers will pay for electricity at an even more expensive “economically justified tariff”. This was reported by Kommersant and confirmed to RBC by a government source. For some regions, the boundaries of the social norm and the increased tariff can be increased to 500 and 700 kWh, and for households that are not connected to heating networks and use electricity for heating, the social norm can be set at 3300 kWh, and the increased the tariff will be introduced from 3500 kWh (for some regions it is proposed to increase these levels to 3500 and 3700 kWh). It was not reported how much tariffs should have increased for those who do not fit into the social norm. Chubais supported the idea of introducing a social norm for electricity consumption Society
Why tariff reform is needed
The government has already tried to introduce a social consumption norm, but in 2014 the reform was postponed due to the risk of increased social tension. The reform was supposed to help reduce cross-subsidies in the electric power industry: now the population pays lower network tariffs, and industrial consumers pay higher ones, thus allowing the Rosseti state holding to maintain and build new network facilities. In the summer, according to Kommersant, the Ministry of Energy estimated the volume of overpayments for the population at 368 billion rubles. in 2017, by 2022 this figure could grow to 417 billion rubles.
The Ministry of Construction opposed the introduction of a social norm for energy consumption Society
Why was the introduction of social norms postponed?
The Ministry of Energy has always supported the introduction of social norms; this is the right undertaking: cross-subsidies need to be gradually reduced, a federal official told RBC. But in December, Deputy Minister of Energy Alexey Texler asked the Ministry of Economic Development to send a report to the government that the introduction of social norms in Russia was premature (RBC has a copy of Texler’s letter dated December 17). Since October 2022, the Ministry of Energy has received more than 120 complaints from citizens who consider the reform dangerous. The initiators of the appeals complained about the sharp increase in expenses of citizens who use electric stoves (the benefits for electricity within the framework of the social norm for them are supposed to be gradually removed. The proposal of the Ministry of Economic Development practically makes no sense: 300 kWh fits almost the entire population, that is, there is no effect for the electric power industry there will be, but a protest reaction from the population and noise are guaranteed, says RBC’s source.
This is confirmed by a source in the government: “The social norm will not save the intersection, but it will outrage the people.” In addition, according to him, there is still no real assessment of the effect of changing tariffs. Another problem is in the dispatch of differentiated tariffs, says one of RBC’s interlocutors. It is not a fact that existing metering devices will be able to record the difference in consumption, and digitalization will take a long time and be expensive, he adds.
Now is not the best time to reform electricity tariffs, which will lead to their growth, says political scientist Alexei Makarkin. The pension reform is too close, discontent with which has subsided, but has not gone away, VAT has increased since January, the government’s ratings are declining, he reminds. According to Makarkin, theoretically, such a reform is possible after the parliamentary elections in 2021.
Ways to save energy resources
The use of meters allows the consumer to influence the amount of payment, reducing energy consumption. This can be achieved in the following ways:
- the acquisition of economical equipment - the international classification provides for the indication in the marking of Latin letters from A to G, in which A corresponds to the most economical devices;
- reliable insulation of the room when the air conditioner or electric heating devices are turned on;
- timely cleaning of the internal walls of the kettle from scale, which reduces heating time;
- operation of household equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s requirements specified in the passport;
- purchasing lamps with economical consumption characteristics.
The comprehensive implementation of these measures will significantly reduce resource consumption, reducing the electricity bill.
Guaranteed reduction in electricity bills - installation of an electric meter. This will allow the consumer to pay only for the resources actually used and eliminate the use of a multiplying factor.
How to calculate electricity according to the standard without a meter in 2022
To calculate how much you are supposed to pay for electricity per month, use the following formula:
S = K × N × T , where
- S – the amount that a family must pay for using electricity without a meter;
- K – number of people in the family (registered in the residential premises);
- N – standard amount of electricity per person, approved by regional authorities;
- T – tariff for 1 kW/hour.
From the comparative table of the standard it is clear that it is difficult to meet it. And resource consumption above the norm is paid at a higher rate. Therefore, if possible, it is recommended to install meters and pay according to actual consumption.
It is possible to reduce electricity consumption by following a few simple rules. Citizens themselves are interested in reducing energy consumption; they take care not only of their money, but also of natural resources. Therefore, it is enough to know that they consume significantly less energy:
- household appliances marked with A, A+, A++;
- energy-saving and LED lamps;
- an electric kettle that is descaled in a timely manner (if possible, it is better to boil water in a regular kettle on a gas stove);
- air conditioning turned on with windows and doors closed;
- refrigerator located away from radiators, sunlight, etc.
