How to read your CFE bill before going solar

Before you size or quote solar, read your CFE bill for three things: your monthly kWh consumption, your tariff (1, 1C, or the high-consumption DAC), and which charges solar will and won't remove. Those three numbers decide how big a system you need and how much you'll actually save.

Find your real consumption (kWh)

Your bill shows consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and usually a small bar chart of your history. That history is the most useful part — it shows your seasonal swing, which in BCS is large because of summer cooling. Note your highest and lowest months and your annual total; that range is what a correctly sized system has to cover.

Your tariff — and the DAC warning sign

Your tariff is printed on the bill. Subsidized domestic tariffs keep rates low up to a limit; cross it consistently and CFE reclassifies you to DAC, where the subsidy disappears and rates jump sharply. If you see DAC on your bill, that's the strongest signal solar will pay off, because you're paying unsubsidized rates on every kWh. Net metering then works against those higher rates in your favor.

What solar changes — and what it doesn't

Solar offsets your energy charges through net metering, but a few fixed items remain — basic service charges and any minimum stay on the bill even at near-zero consumption. Understanding that up front sets the right expectation: a well-sized system can take your energy cost close to zero, but you'll still receive a CFE bill. How the credits are calculated is covered in the costs section.