Canonical Definition
Usage history is the record of a customer's energy or water consumption over time, typically presented on bills or in online portals as monthly totals for the past 12 to 24 months, and with smart meters, available at daily or interval granularity. Utilities use usage history for bill estimation, budget billing calculations, and rate analysis; customers use it to compare consumption across months and years. Many utilities provide standardized downloads of usage history, such as Green Button data.
Explanations
Your usage history is the record of how much energy or water you have used over time, often shown as a 12- or 13-month chart on your bill or in your online account. It helps you compare this month to the same month last year and spot unusual changes. Utilities also use it to estimate bills and set budget billing amounts. With a smart meter, you can often see usage by day or even by hour.
Usage history is a record of your past power or water use. It shows each month, like a report card. You can look back and spot changes.
Analogy Bank
Usage history is like the photo timeline on your phone — a month-by-month record you can scroll back through to spot changes.
It's like a checkbook register for energy: every period's total is logged so you can compare then and now.
Think of it like a growth chart at the doctor's office — the value is in comparing this point with the same point last year.
Do Not Say
- ✕Do not definitively diagnose the cause of usage changes; weather, occupancy, and equipment can all play a role.
- ✕Do not promise specific history lengths or download formats; availability varies by utility.