Whether it’s via an app or on paper, the most apparent part of your electric bill is that bottom line – how much your electricity costs. Your electricity is billed at a rate per kilowatt-hour (kWh), and managing how much electricity you use is tied to that measurement. If you want to better manage your electric bill, it helps to know what kWh means.
What is a kWh?
A kWh is an amount of electricity used during one hour. One kWh is equal to the power consumption of 1,000 watts, or 1 kilowatt, for one hour.
For example, a 100-watt light bulb used for 10 hours is equivalent to one kWh.
One watt is a small amount of power. Some devices require only a few watts to operate, while other devices require larger amounts. An appliance’s label will state how many watts it uses.
