The Cost of Electrical Energy

A kilowatt-hour is equivalent to the use of one kilowatt in one hour. The electrical energy consumption for a household is equal to the amount of electrical energy used, usually measured in kilowatt-hours. A kilowatt-hour is equivalent to the use of one kilowatt in one hour. One kilowatt (kW) equals 1000 watts (W). A watt is equal to one joule (unit of energy) per second.

Example: If the energy (E) used by a microwave is 0.8 kW and the microwave is turned on for half an hour, the electrical energy used is: E = 0.8 kW x 0.5 h = 0.4 kW ● h

SaskPower charges $0.1374/kW●h In the microwave example, the consumption of 0.4 kW●h at a cost of 13.74 cents per kW●h = 0.4 x 13.74 = 5.5 cents!