Check your power bill by hand — a Korean electricity bill, rebuilt in six steps

The amount at the bottom of a power bill is not a number only KEPCO's computers know. With one tariff table and a phone calculator, you can work it out again almost to the last won.

The arithmetic is a few multiplications and a few additions. We'll take the October bill of a home that used 300kWh in a month and count it together from start to finish. Once you've followed along, you can match the numbers on your own bill by hand — and when they don't match, you'll know where to look.

What do you need?

Two things. One electricity bill of your own (paper or an app screen), and a calculator. If you don't have a bill, you can follow the example numbers below as they are.

• Example home: 300kWh used in a month, October bill, residential low-voltage service — a house, such as a detached home, with its own contract with KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation, the state-owned utility that sells power to every household)
• Tariff table used in this piece: KEPCO's residential (low-voltage) tariff table, effective 9 November 2023¹Source 1Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (ResidentialLow/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).See in sources →1 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (Residential — Low/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).

On the bill, the boxes to find are usage (kWh) and the usage period. Keep the amount box covered until you check it at the very end.

Step 1. How many kWh, and when?

Almost every number on the bill comes from one thing: usage. And for the same usage, the width of the steps changes depending on whether it's July–August or not. So the first step is to write these two down.

Example → 300kWh, October bill. It isn't July–August, so we use the 'other months' table.

Step 2. Which step are you on, and what is the basic charge?

Korean homes pay a progressive tariffProgressive tariff A progressive tariff charges a higher unit price for the extra electricity used as consumption rises. Glossary → (누진제): usage is split into three steps, and each step up costs more per kWh. In months other than July–August, up to 200kWh is the first step, up to 400kWh the second, and anything above that the third. In July–August the steps widen to 300kWh and 450kWh.¹Source 1Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (ResidentialLow/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).See in sources →1 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (Residential — Low/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).

Only one basic charge is added: the amount for the last step you climbed onto.^*1More precisely *1The calculator counts it this way too. This is read from how the tariff table is laid out; it has not been checked separately against the terms-of-supply articles.*1 The calculator counts it this way too. This is read from how the tariff table is laid out; it has not been checked separately against the terms-of-supply articles. The basic charges are not added up step by step.

Example → 300kWh is above 200 and below 400, so it's the second step. Basic charge KRW 1,600.

Step 3. The energy charge is multiplied step by step

This is where people go wrong most often. Being on the second step does not mean all 300kWh are multiplied by KRW 214.6. Each step's share is multiplied only by that step's price.

Example →

• First 200kWh × KRW 120.0 → KRW 24,000
• Remaining 100kWh × KRW 214.6 → KRW 21,460
• Energy charge → 24,000 + 21,460 = KRW 45,460

Step 4. Add the two lines charged per kWh

The bill has two more lines that rise in step with usage. One is the climate and environment chargeClimate and environment charge The climate and environment charge is the line on a Korean power bill that shows policy costs such as renewable deployment and emissions reduction. Glossary → (기후환경요금): climate and environmental costs — such as the cost of the renewable energy obligation and of carbon emission allowances — split out and shown on a line of their own. Since January 2023 it has been KRW 9.0 per kWh.²Source 2Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Climate and Environment Charge* (「기후환경요금」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of climate and environment charge unit prices (applied from January '23).See in sources →2 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Climate and Environment Charge* (「기후환경요금」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of climate and environment charge unit prices (applied from January '23).

The other is the fuel cost adjustment chargeFuel Cost Adjustment Charge A bill item that passes changes in generation fuel prices through to electricity bills. Each month it adds usage multiplied by the fuel cost adjustment rate. Glossary → (연료비조정요금), which passes the ups and downs of power-plant fuel prices into the bill every three months. For October–December 2026 it is KRW 5.0 per kWh. By the formula it would have been KRW 7.3, but it hit the upper limit of KRW 5.³Source 3Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q4 2026* (「2026년 4분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-09-21).See in sources →3 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q4 2026* (「2026년 4분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-09-21). This unit price can change every quarter, so check the notice for the month on your bill.

Example →

• Climate and environment charge: 300kWh × KRW 9.0 → KRW 2,700
• Fuel cost adjustment charge: 300kWh × KRW 5.0 → KRW 1,500

Step 5. Add the four lines to get the 'electricity charge'

The four lines worked out so far add up to what the bill calls the 'electricity charge' (전기요금). It isn't the amount billed yet. Two more lines go on top.

Example → 1,600 + 45,460 + 2,700 + 1,500 = KRW 51,260

Write this number down separately. Both lines in the next step come from multiplying it by a rate.

Step 6. Put the fund and VAT on top for the amount billed

The last two lines multiply the electricity charge by a rate. The Electric Power Industry Basis Fund (전력산업기반기금) — a levy collected on every bill and spent on shoring up the foundations of the power industry — is 2.7% of the electricity charge (27/1,000 in the decree).⁴Source 4Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), *Enforcement Decree of the Electric Utility Act* (「전기사업법 시행령」, in force 2026-09-18), Article 36.See in sources →4 Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), *Enforcement Decree of the Electric Utility Act* (「전기사업법 시행령」, in force 2026-09-18), Article 36. Value-added tax is 10%.⁵Source 5Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), *Value-Added Tax Act* (「부가가치세법」, in force 2026-01-02), Article 30.See in sources →5 Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), *Value-Added Tax Act* (「부가가치세법」, in force 2026-01-02), Article 30. Both are multiplied by the electricity charge from Step 5. VAT is not charged again on top of the fund.

Example →

• Electric Power Industry Basis Fund: 51,260 × 0.027 → KRW 1,384
• Value-added tax: 51,260 × 0.1 → KRW 5,126
• Amount billed: 51,260 + 1,384 + 5,126 → around KRW 57,770

Six multiplications and a few additions, and the number at the bottom of the bill is in your hands. Now uncover the amount box and compare.

If your bill is different

A gap of a few tens of won is usually down to rounding. If it's further off than that, go through the list below in order.

• Does it include July or August? For the same 300kWh, a bill whose usage period lies entirely within July–August falls inside the widened first step. The basic charge becomes KRW 910 and the energy charge 300 × 120.0 = KRW 36,000; add the climate and environment charge of KRW 2,700 and the fuel cost adjustment charge of KRW 1,500, and the electricity charge is KRW 41,110. The fuel cost adjustment unit price for July–September was also KRW 5.0.⁶Source 6Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q3 2026* (「2026년 3분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-06-19).See in sources →6 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q3 2026* (「2026년 3분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-06-19). That's more than KRW 10,000 less than October.
• Does the usage period differ from the calendar? The usage period on a bill runs from meter-reading day to meter-reading day, so it may not run from the 1st to the last day of the month. In the tariff table, summer runs from 1 July to 31 August.¹Source 1Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (ResidentialLow/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).See in sources →1 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (Residential — Low/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금). If your whole usage period falls between 1 July and 31 August, it does not straddle anything, so use the summer table. Only when the usage period runs across 1 July or 31 August into the neighbouring month can the bill differ from the simple count above. How the days on either side are split was not confirmed for this piece.
• Is there a discount line? Households of five or more people, households with three or more children, and households with a child under three get 30% off, up to KRW 16,000 a month. Welfare discounts — for people with disabilities, basic livelihood security recipients, near-poverty households and others — have limits that differ by group.⁷Source 7Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Residential Welfare Discounts* (「주택용 복지할인」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of eligibility criteria for welfare discount rates.See in sources →7 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Residential Welfare Discounts* (「주택용 복지할인」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of eligibility criteria for welfare discount rates. Homes eligible for a welfare discount that use 200kWh or less also get an extra reduction.¹Source 1Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (ResidentialLow/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).See in sources →1 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (Residential — Low/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금). The calculator does not include discounts.
• Do you pay through your apartment management fee? In complexes where the whole apartment block has a single contract with KEPCO (single contract · combined contract), the management office works out each household's charge and bills it in the management fee.⁸Source 8Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Apartment Electricity Rate System* (「아파트 전기요금제도」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of features by contract method.See in sources →8 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Apartment Electricity Rate System* (「아파트 전기요금제도」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of features by contract method. In that case the method may differ from this piece.
• Did you go over 1,000kWh? In July–August and December–February, usage over 1,000kWh is charged KRW 736.2 per kWh for the part above it.¹Source 1Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (ResidentialLow/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).See in sources →1 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (Residential — Low/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).
• Is the fuel cost adjustment unit price from a different quarter? The KRW 5.0 in Step 4 is the value for the second half of 2026. For a bill from another year, swap in the unit price from that quarter's notice.

If you can pin down which of these the gap comes from, you've already read your bill.

What to watch when showing this calculation to others

When you show a bill calculation in a report, an article or a blog, keep three things in mind.

• A tariff table has an effective date. The one used here is the edition effective 9 November 2023. When comparing with a bill from another year, first check that it's the same edition.
• The fund and value-added tax are both charged on the electricity charge — the sum of the four lines. Putting VAT on top of the fund inflates the total by a few tens of won.
• If the rounding rules (below one won, below 10 won) have not all been confirmed, write the result as 'around'.

When the next bill arrives

This time, look at the usage box before the amount at the bottom. Hold it against the step boundaries, cut it into pieces and multiply, add two lines, then put two lines on top. If it went up from last month, the count itself shows whether you used more or the unit price changed.

Do the six steps by hand once, and you'll see straight away which box on your own bill a piece of rate news is about.

To check your hand count to the last digit, put your usage and month into the electricity bill calculator. The number for each step appears on the same line, side by side.

Words in this piece

• progressive tariffProgressive tariff A progressive tariff charges a higher unit price for the extra electricity used as consumption rises. Glossary → — a residential pricing method where the unit price of the part above each step rises every time usage crosses a step.
• kWhkW and kWh A kW (kilowatt) is a unit of power: how hard electricity is made or used at a moment. A kWh (kilowatt-hour) is a unit of energy: how much is made or used over time. Glossary → — the unit for how much electricity was used. Usage on the bill is written in this unit.
• climate and environment chargeClimate and environment charge The climate and environment charge is the line on a Korean power bill that shows policy costs such as renewable deployment and emissions reduction. Glossary → — a bill line that splits out the costs of the renewable energy obligation, emission allowances and coal-power reduction and charges them per kWh.
• fuel cost adjustment chargeFuel Cost Adjustment Charge A bill item that passes changes in generation fuel prices through to electricity bills. Each month it adds usage multiplied by the fuel cost adjustment rate. Glossary → — a bill line that passes the ups and downs of power-plant fuel prices into a per-kWh unit price every three months. It is capped at KRW 5 up or down.
• Electric Power Industry Basis Fund — money collected at 2.7% of the electricity charge and spent on shoring up the foundations of the power industry.

¹Source 1Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (ResidentialLow/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).See in sources →1 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (Residential — Low/High Voltage)* (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금).: Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), ^*2More precisely *2Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (Residential — Low/High Voltage)**2 Electricity Tariff Table in Korean (Residential — Low/High Voltage)*(https://cyber.kepco.co.kr/ckepco/front/jsp/CY/E/E/CYEEHP00101.jsp) (「한글 전기요금표(주택용-저압/고압)」, Cyber Branch (사이버지점), effective 2023-11-09), residential (low-voltage) summer and other-season tables, and the super-user rate (슈퍼유저요금). ²Source 2Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Climate and Environment Charge* (「기후환경요금」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of climate and environment charge unit prices (applied from January '23).See in sources →2 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Climate and Environment Charge* (「기후환경요금」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of climate and environment charge unit prices (applied from January '23).: Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), ^*3More precisely *3Climate and Environment Charge**3 Climate and Environment Charge*(https://online.kepco.co.kr/PRM107D00) (「기후환경요금」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of climate and environment charge unit prices (applied from January '23). ³Source 3Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q4 2026* (「2026년 4분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-09-21).See in sources →3 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q4 2026* (「2026년 4분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-09-21).: Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), ^*4More precisely *4Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q4 2026**4 Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q4 2026*(https://www.kepco.co.kr/home/media/newsroom/notice/boardView.do?boardMngNo=14&boardNo=2759) (「2026년 4분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-09-21). ⁴Source 4Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), *Enforcement Decree of the Electric Utility Act* (「전기사업법 시행령」, in force 2026-09-18), Article 36.See in sources →4 Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), *Enforcement Decree of the Electric Utility Act* (「전기사업법 시행령」, in force 2026-09-18), Article 36.: Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), ^*5More precisely *5Enforcement Decree of the Electric Utility Act**5 Enforcement Decree of the Electric Utility Act*(https://www.law.go.kr/법령/전기사업법시행령/제36조) (「전기사업법 시행령」, in force 2026-09-18), Article 36. ⁵Source 5Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), *Value-Added Tax Act* (「부가가치세법」, in force 2026-01-02), Article 30.See in sources →5 Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), *Value-Added Tax Act* (「부가가치세법」, in force 2026-01-02), Article 30.: Ministry of Government Legislation, Korea Law Information Center (법제처 국가법령정보센터), ^*6More precisely *6Value-Added Tax Act**6 Value-Added Tax Act*(https://www.law.go.kr/법령/부가가치세법/제30조) (「부가가치세법」, in force 2026-01-02), Article 30. ⁶Source 6Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q3 2026* (「2026년 3분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-06-19).See in sources →6 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q3 2026* (「2026년 3분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-06-19).: Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), ^*7More precisely *7Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q3 2026**7 Calculation of the Fuel Cost Adjustment Unit Price for Q3 2026*(https://www.kepco.co.kr/home/media/newsroom/notice/boardView.do?boardMngNo=14&boardNo=2673) (「2026년 3분기 연료비조정단가 산정내역」, notice, 2026-06-19). ⁷Source 7Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Residential Welfare Discounts* (「주택용 복지할인」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of eligibility criteria for welfare discount rates.See in sources →7 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Residential Welfare Discounts* (「주택용 복지할인」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of eligibility criteria for welfare discount rates.: Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), ^*8More precisely *8Residential Welfare Discounts**8 Residential Welfare Discounts*(https://online.kepco.co.kr/PRM104D00) (「주택용 복지할인」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of eligibility criteria for welfare discount rates. ⁸Source 8Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Apartment Electricity Rate System* (「아파트 전기요금제도」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of features by contract method.See in sources →8 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), *Apartment Electricity Rate System* (「아파트 전기요금제도」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of features by contract method.: Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), ^*9More precisely *9Apartment Electricity Rate System**9 Apartment Electricity Rate System*(https://online.kepco.co.kr/PRM103D00) (「아파트 전기요금제도」, KEPCO ON, main electricity rate systems (한전ON 주요 전기요금제도)), table of features by contract method.