gas bill

[glenis]

just received my latest one from british gas ,quite clear to understand really , recent reading - previous reading = gas units used ,then it goes on to say " how we convert gas units to kilowatt hours " and gives a really complicated formula ,why can't gas be charged for in gas units ???why does it need to be converted into kilowatt hours ??

[buildersmate]

Because different gas sources have a different calorific values. So you pay more if good gas is coming through your pipes than naff gas. Its a bit like saying why aren't all the grades of petrol at the pumps all the same price.

[Ethel]

I understand what you mean exactly - my Powergen bill is the same, and I wanted to know how much I was being charged for each digit used by the meter. The formula is very complicated.

I telephoned Powergen and was told it was 3.9p - I knew this couldn't be right and phoned again. After a long time I was told the charge is �1.14.

Apparently it is a legal requirement that gas bills show the kilowatt hours, but why it can't show the simple price as well, I don't know.

[glenis]

thanks to you all ,but i suspect that cleversod is probably closest to the truth !!!

[buildersmate]

100 cubic feet of gas (one Unit on the meter) is about 30kWh of energy. It might vary from this by a few percent, but its no big deal.