Energy Factors

Energy Factors, Heat Value, Tariffs(PDF, 79KB)

Electric Energy Factors

What is the Electric Energy Cost Adjustment Factor (EECAF)?
Mesa employs a purchased electric energy cost adjustment factor (EECAF) that permits Mesa to recover the costs associated with the planning, acquisition and administration of required electric energy supplies and transportation services from its customers. Costs are recovered in the Budget Electric Energy Cost (BEEC). The EECAF is determined on a forward fiscal year basis. EECAF is reviewed and adjusted monthly as necessary to reflect changes to costs and customer consumption. This allows Mesa to better match costs and revenues and also provides its customers with electric energy price signals to enable management of consumption and associated costs.

Electric Conversion Factors
Kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 (One Thousand) Watts
Kilowatt hour (kWh) =1,000 (One Thousand) Watts for 1 hour
Megawatt (MW) = 1,000,000 (One Million) Watts
Megawatt hour (MWh) = 1,000,000 (One Million) Watts for 1 hour
1 Horsepower = 746 Watts
1 kWh = 3,413 BTU's

Gas Energy Factor

What is the Fuel Cost Adjustment Factor (PNGCAF)?
Mesa employs a purchased natural gas cost adjustment factor (PNGCAF) that permits Mesa to recover the costs associated with the planning, acquisition and administration of required natural gas supplies and transportation services from its customers on a timely basis. Such costs are recovered in the "Gas Cost Adjustment" (GAF). The PNGCAF is determined on a forward fiscal year basis for each month therein and is reviewed each month and adjusted as necessary to reflect known and measurable changes to costs and customer consumption. This allows Mesa to better match its costs with its revenues and also provides its customers with natural gas energy price signals to allow them to better manage their consumption patterns and associated costs.

Magma Residential Surcharge
A residential surcharge is included in the Magma Gas Cost Adjustment when City of Mesa Magma residential total bill amounts are lower than the most recent comparable market rate totals. Magma cost adjustment details are typically published at the end of the next business month.

What is the Heating Value Factor?
The Heating Value (HV) factor, expressed in Therms per Hundred Cubic Feet (Th/Ccf), allows for the conversion from the metered natural gas flow volume measured in Ccf to energy denoted in Therms (Th). For example, if the metered natural gas flow volume was 100 Ccf, assuming a HV factor of 1.020, the gas energy billed will be 102 Therms (100 x 1.02).

The natural gas heat value and energy factors are published on the tariff adjustment sheet (far right columns).

Natural Gas Conversion Factors
1 BTU = amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water, one degree Fahrenheit.
1 CF (Cubic Feet) = Approximately 1,000 BTU's
1 CCF = 100 CF = 1 Therm
1 Therm = 100,000 BTU's = 100 CF = 0.1 MCF
10 Therms = 1 MCF
1 MCF = 1,000 CF = 10 CCF = 10 Therms
1 Quad = 10 9 MCF = 1010 Therms = 1015 BTU's
8.338 pounds = 1 gallon of water

Tariff Adjustment

The Tariff Adjustment publishes rates used to recover energy resource costs by the district cooling, electric, and natural gas utilities. The district cooling fuel factor (DCFF) recovers the cost of purchasing electric power. DCFF is added to the rate per ton hour ($/Ton Hour) for district cooling customers. The electric energy cost adjustment factor (EECAF) recovers fixed and variable electric power costs of planning, acquiring, and administering power supplies and associated transmission services. EECAF is a per kilowatt-hour charge ($/kWh) added to electric bills. It is labeled as Electric Energy Supply Cost Adj. The purchased natural gas cost adjustment factor (PNGCAF) is a per therm charge added to gas bills which allows the City to recover fixed and variable costs of planning, acquiring, and administering natural gas supplies and associated transportation services. It is labeled as Natural Gas Supply Cost Adjustment.