tscottjendev
commented
1 year ago I asked Bing Chat
In the area of utility billing for municipalities what are some alternate terms for a Tariff?
Its reply was:
A tariff is a term used to describe the price and conditions for the supply of utility services, such as water, electricity, or gas, by a public or private provider. A tariff can also refer to the document that specifies the details of the charges and fees for the utility service. ¹
Some alternate terms for a tariff in the area of utility billing for municipalities are:
- Rate: This is a common term used in the United States and Canada to refer to the price per unit of utility service, such as cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity or dollars per cubic meter for water. A rate can also refer to the schedule of prices and fees for different categories of customers, such as residential, commercial, or industrial. ²
- Charge: This is a term that can be used interchangeably with rate or tariff, but it can also refer to a specific component of the tariff, such as a fixed charge, a variable charge, or a demand charge. A fixed charge is a flat fee that is paid regardless of the amount of utility service consumed, such as a monthly service charge. A variable charge is a fee that depends on the amount of utility service consumed, such as a volumetric charge for water or electricity. A demand charge is a fee that depends on the peak or maximum amount of utility service demanded by the customer, such as a kilowatt demand charge for electricity. ³
- Price: This is a term that can also be used interchangeably with rate or tariff, but it can also refer to the market value of the utility service, which may differ from the regulated or subsidized tariff. For example, in some countries, there are wholesale and retail markets for electricity, where the price is determined by supply and demand. The retail price may be higher or lower than the regulated tariff, depending on the market conditions and the availability of alternative sources of electricity.
I hope this answer was helpful and informative. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask me. 😊
Source: Conversation with Bing, 10/08/2023 (1) What Is a Utility Tariff? How Energy Tarrifs Work - P3 Cost Analysts. https://www.costanalysts.com/what-is-a-utility-tariff-and-why-it-matters-to-your-business/. (2) Water tariff - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_tariff. (3) Energy tariffs explained - Which?. https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/cutting-your-energy-bills/article/energy-tariffs-explained-aeSdn3X07AID.
RPCJendev
Suggest changing object and field references from Tariff to Rate. Just an idea as Tariff is used by some utilities and some use the term Rate. Or is there another term?