If you cannot point to the bill line, page, month, and tariff rule, treat the finding as a hypothesis, not an audit conclusion.
By the numbers
A 12-month category check can catch seasonal tariff leakage that one current bill can miss.
Source: BillTrends default model
In a 30-day billing month, every 1 kW of recorded maximum demand represents 720 kWh of full-time use.
Source: Energy = demand x time
At 0.90 average PF, a kVAh-billed consumer buys 11.1% more apparent-energy units than the same kWh load at unity PF.
Source: Power-triangle identity
The national ToD rule sets C&I peak tariff at not less than 1.20x normal and other consumer peak tariff at not less than 1.10x normal, subject to the DISCOM order in force.
Source: Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2023
BillTrends separates charge lines into demand, fixed and variable families before comparing bills.
Source: BillTrends default model
Start with the full-year rupee story
One high bill can be seasonal. Twelve bills show whether the pattern repeats. Add the billed amount, units, demand charges, PF penalty or incentive, ToD charge or rebate, arrears, and taxes across the year before ranking findings.
BillTrends does this in the free preview by showing the full-year headline and one revealed finding first. The full report keeps every number source-traced.
- Compare this month against the 12-month average.
- Separate recurring charges from one-time arrears or adjustments.
- Rank issues by annual rupee impact before debating technical fixes.
Check tariff category before anything else
Tariff category drives the rate, fixed charge, demand charge, duty treatment, and sometimes eligibility for ToD, load factor, or power factor incentives. A wrong category can make every downstream calculation wrong.
Look for the category printed on the bill, then compare it with how the premises is actually used: residential, commercial, industrial, public service, agriculture, temporary supply, EV charging, or other state-specific categories.
- MSEDCL, Tata Power, Adani Electricity, BESCOM, TNEB, TPDDL, BRPL, BYPL, PSPCL, GUVNL, and UPPCL all have their own tariff vocabulary.
- Use the tariff order applicable to that bill month, not only the latest tariff PDF.
Compare sanctioned demand with maximum demand
For many commercial and industrial connections, sanctioned demand or contract demand affects fixed charges and excess-demand penalties. The maximum demand row tells you how much load was actually drawn in the billing cycle; in a 30-day month, every 1 kW of recorded MD represents 720 kWh of full-time use.
Consistent maximum demand far below contract demand may indicate over-contracting. Repeated maximum demand above contract demand may mean penalty exposure or the need to right-size capacity.
- Use kW or kVA consistently. Do not mix them without checking the bill basis.
- Review at least 12 months so one production spike does not drive the decision.
- Check whether solar export or BESS dispatch changes the demand profile.
Find PF, ToD, taxes, duties, and arrears
Power factor, Time-of-Day, electricity duty, wheeling or reliability charges, fuel adjustment, subsidy treatment, interest, and arrears often sit in small rows. At 0.90 PF on a kVAh tariff, the same kWh load bills as 11.1% more apparent-energy units than unity PF.
A good audit separates avoidable operating leakage from statutory pass-through charges. PF penalty and demand excess may be fixable. Electricity duty may not be avoidable, but it must still be checked for category correctness.
- PF below the threshold can create penalties, while better PF may earn incentives in some categories.
- ToD charges show whether load is landing in costly hours; under the national ToD rule, C&I peak tariff is at least 1.20x normal, while the DISCOM order in force decides the actual slots.
- Arrears and delayed payment charges should be separated from current consumption.
Related BillTrends pages
FAQ
How many bills do I need for a useful audit?
Three bills can reveal a pattern, but 12 bills are better because seasonality, production cycles, ToD use, and demand spikes become visible.
What is the first row to check?
Check tariff category first, then sanctioned or contract demand, maximum demand, PF, ToD, arrears, and taxes or duties.
Can BillTrends audit any Indian DISCOM bill?
BillTrends is built for Indian DISCOM bill formats and tariff reality across major utilities, with every reported number traced to a source bill line.