Rhode Island Lawmakers Propose Visual Electrical Bill Breakdown

Rhode Island consumers may soon see a clearer breakdown of their electrical bills.

Senate Majority Leader Frank A. Ciccone III and Rep. Enrique George Sanchez have introduced legislation to mandate a visual illustration of all components and their individual costs on electrical bills.

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Ciccone, D-Providence and Johnston, said all Rhode Islanders should understand what they pay for each month. He added that a clear visual breakdown would provide clarity for consumers, noting that while bills may be complex, reading them does not have to be.

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Current Rhode Island law already requires electrical bills to display a breakdown of total charge cost components. The new bills would specifically require this breakdown to be a clear visual illustration.

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Sanchez, D-Providence, noted the complexity of electrical bills in Rhode Island.

Sanchez said many distinct components make up the total cost to consumers. Sanchez added that customers often struggle to read these bills, leading to confusion about their spending and where their money goes. He described the proposed legislation as an important step to fix this problem by providing a simple visual breakdown.

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Compliance with these new requirements would be enforced by the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers. This division would also be responsible for approving the specific format chosen by the electrical distribution company.

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