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Billing Customization Guide

Welcome to the BillCalc Tariff Customizer Guide. Our calculators come pre-configured with the latest reviewed state regulator tariffs, but we also put complete control in your hands. Learn how to locally customize slab rates, fixed charges, taxes, and even add your own utility fees to simulate accurate bill scenarios.

Why Customize Your Tariff?

Utility providers across India frequently adjust pricing. DISCOMs may change fuel cost surcharges (FPPCA), municipal corporations may alter sewerage taxes, or natural gas companies may announce mid-cycle SCM price revisions. Customizing allows you to:

  • Update Slabs & Rates: Manually adjust rates to match your utility board's latest tariff order immediately.
  • Match Specific Contracts: Change load-based fixed charges if you have a special commercial or residential supply contract.
  • Simulate Cost Scenarios: Test how energy conservation (moving to lower slabs) or changing sanctioned load affects your monthly invoice.
  • Add Missing/New Fees: Append local taxes, duties, meter rentals, or municipal cess charges not included by default.

Step-by-Step Customization Guide

Step 1: Access the Customizer

On any calculator page, look below the main calculation form and click the yellow outlined Customize Billing button. This opens the interactive Tariff Customizer modal.

Step 2: Modify Volumetric Consumption Slabs

The first section displays your active volumetric consumption tiers (e.g., 0-50 units, 51-100 units).

  • To edit rates, type the new per-unit charge (₹ per SCM/KL/kWh) directly into the rate input box.
  • To change slab ranges, adjust the Min and Max bounds. Use an empty Max box to represent the final "above" slab (unlimited tier).
  • To add a progressive slab, click Add Slab. The customizer will automatically pre-fill the minimum bound from your previous slab.
  • To remove a tier, click the red Delete button next to the slab row.

Step 3: Adjust Fixed Charges & Taxes

Pre-configured fixed fees, meter rentals, subsidies, and state duties (taxes) are shown below the slabs. You can modify their values directly to match your latest invoice details.

Step 4: Add New Custom Charges

If your local utility applies extra fees, you can add them dynamically:

  1. Click the blue Add Charge button next to the Fixed Charges & Taxes header.
  2. Enter a custom Charge Name (e.g., Green Cess or Local Surcharge).
  3. Select the Charge Type:
    • Fixed / Flat: Fixed operational charges or flat subsidies.
    • Tax: State duties, Value Added Tax (VAT), or GST.
    • Surcharge: Additional infrastructure or regulatory cess.
    • Rebate: Subsidies, senior citizen discounts, or solar credits (entered as positive values, subtracted automatically).
  4. Select the Calculation Basis (see details below).
  5. Enter the numerical Value (either a flat rupee amount or percentage rate).

Step 5: Manage Custom Connection Categories

If pre-seeded categories (e.g., Domestic Urban, Commercial Rural) do not match your utility arrangement, you can define your own connection categories:

  • Click the green Add Connection Type button at the top of the customizer modal.
  • Enter a name when prompted (e.g. Agricultural Pump or Small Shop Commercial). A brand-new connection category is created and selected.
  • Rename Categories: To rename a custom category, select it in the main page dropdown, open the customizer, and edit the name text input field at the top of the modal.
  • Delete Categories: To delete a custom category and clear its local overrides, click the red Delete Category button at the top of the modal.

Step 6: Save and Recalculate

Once you have made all adjustments, click the green Save Tariff button. The customizer will close, a warning alert will confirm that custom overrides are active, and the estimated bill breakdown will immediately show itemized calculations using your customized rules.

Understanding Calculation Bases

When adding custom charges, choosing the correct calculation basis ensures the billing math matches your official utility board's format:

Basis Option How it is Calculated Best Used For
Flat (Fixed) Calculated as: Value × Billing Period (Months). Flat monthly service fees, flat meter rentals, or fixed governmental rebates.
Per kW Load Calculated as: Value × Sanctioned Load (kW) × Billing Period (Months). Fixed charges of electricity boards that scale with connection capacity.
Per Unit Calculated as: Value × Total Units Consumed (SCM/KL/kWh). Fuel Surcharge Adjustments (FSA/FPPCA) or per-unit environmental cess.
% of Volumetric Calculated as a percentage of your total energy/water/gas consumption charges. Electricity duties (e.g., 10% duty) or water board sewerage surcharges.
% of Subtotal Calculated as a percentage of the subtotal (volumetric charges + fixed charges). Value Added Tax (VAT) on natural gas or comprehensive local municipal taxes.

Practical Customization Examples

Here are three common real-world scenarios showing how you can use the customizer to keep your bill estimates precise:

Example 1: Simulating dynamic fuel surcharges (FPPCA)

Many electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) apply a dynamic Fuel & Power Purchase Cost Adjustment (FPPCA) that fluctuates every few months.

Surcharge Details: ₹0.48 per consumed unit.
  1. Click Add Charge under Fixed Charges & Taxes.
  2. Name it Fuel Surcharge (FPPCA).
  3. Set Type to Surcharge and Basis to Per Unit.
  4. Enter value 0.48 and save.

Example 2: Adding municipal sewerage surcharges

Municipal water boards (such as DJB or BWSSB) typically calculate sewerage charges as a direct percentage of your volumetric water usage.

Tax Details: Sewerage tax equal to 60% of water consumption charge.
  1. Click Add Charge.
  2. Name it Sewerage Tax.
  3. Set Type to Tax and Basis to % of Volumetric.
  4. Enter value 60 and save.

Example 3: Simulating a rooftop solar net-metering subsidy

If you have generated solar electricity fed back into the grid, you might receive a solar generation rebate deducted from your billing total.

Rebate Details: Solar export subsidy of ₹2.10 per kWh fed back.
  1. Click Add Charge.
  2. Name it Solar Generation Rebate.
  3. Set Type to Rebate and Basis to Per Unit.
  4. Enter value 2.10 and save. (Rebates are automatically deducted from the final amount).

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are my customized tariffs saved?

All customizations are saved securely inside your web browser's local storage (LocalStorage). No data is sent to our servers. Your overrides remain active whenever you revisit this specific calculator on the same device.

Will my customizations affect other users?

No. Because the custom tariff is stored locally in your browser, it only overrides the rates for your personal session. Other users will continue to see the default official rates reviewed by our team.

How do I restore the official default tariff?

You can easily reset your changes at any time. Simply click the yellow warning alert at the top of the calculator page and select "Restore Default Tariff", or open the customizer modal and click the red Reset Tariff button in the bottom left.