Compare usage, not dollars
An MLGW bill mixes usage with rates that change. The energy rate shifts between summer, winter and transition months, TVA’s fuel cost adjustment changes through the year, and the gas side carries a purchased gas adjustment that moves every month.
So the dollar total is a poor way to judge a new heat pump. Bluffline Memphis Heat Pumps suggests comparing usage instead.
What to compare
| Line on the bill | What it measures | Compare |
|---|---|---|
| Electric kWh | Electricity used | Same month last year |
| Gas ccf | Hundreds of cubic feet of gas | Same month last year |
| Days in the billing period | Length of the period | Adjust if very different |
Strip-heat houses
If the heat pump replaced an electric furnace, winter is where the change shows. Strips turned one kilowatt-hour into one kilowatt-hour of heat; the heat pump delivers two to three on most winter days.
What to expect
- December to February kWh should fall noticeably against the same months before.
- Mild winter months should fall the most, since the heat pump carries them with no strips at all.
- Summer kWh may fall too, if the new unit has a higher SEER2 than the old AC.
Dual fuel houses
If the heat pump went on a gas furnace, the bill shifts a little between the two fuels.
- Mild months: gas falls and electricity rises slightly, as the heat pump carries those days.
- Cold months: little change, as gas does the heating below the switchover.
- Summer: electric use may fall with a more efficient unit.
Where the switchover is set decides how big the shift is. The switchover guide explains the setting.
Spotting strips that run too much
A winter bill that jumps in kilowatt-hours on a mild month usually means the backup strips are running when they shouldn’t. Check the thermostat on a 45-degree day: if it shows AUX HEAT for long stretches, something is off.
The usual causes
- No outdoor sensor or no lockout.
- Large overnight setbacks with fast recovery.
- Emergency heat left on.
- A heat pump losing capacity.
The aux and emergency heat guide explains each and what fixes it.
An example
Take an all-electric Millington ranch that swapped a 15 kW electric furnace for a heat pump with 5 kW of backup. Here is the kind of change to look for, comparing kilowatt-hours month by month:
| Month | Year before | Year after | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | High | Much lower | Heat pump carries most hours; strips only on cold mornings |
| March | Moderate | Lower | Mild month; heat pump alone |
| July | High | Somewhat lower | Higher SEER2 than the old AC |
| October | Low | Similar | Little heating or cooling either year |
If January didn’t fall
If winter usage barely moved, the strips are probably running too much. The thermostat setup is the first place to look. The Millington page describes the kind of house where this matters most.
Fixed charges
Every MLGW bill carries monthly customer charges for electric and gas service, whatever you use. They don’t change with a heat pump, unless you close the gas account entirely after a full electric conversion.
Leave them out when you compare months, so the equipment’s effect shows clearly.
Weather matters
A cold January uses more than a mild one, whatever the equipment. If you want a fairer comparison, note the average temperature for each billing period, or compare over a full year rather than one month.
Reading the gas side
MLGW gas is billed in hundreds of cubic feet. A dual fuel house that lowers its switchover in a high-gas month will see gas fall and electricity rise. The gas versus heat pump guide shows how the two compare per unit of heat.
Outside MLGW
Homes in Southaven, Horn Lake, Hernando and parts of Olive Branch are on Entergy Mississippi, and West Memphis has its own municipal utility.
Their bills look different, but the method is the same: compare kilowatt-hours and gas use against the same months a year earlier, not dollars. The Southaven page covers the Mississippi side.
A simple yearly check
Once a year, line up the twelve months of kilowatt-hours and gas use against the year before the new system. That one comparison tells you more than any single bill. The thermostat setup guide covers the settings that move it.