ratepayer

noun

rate·​pay·​er ˈrāt-ˌpā-ər 

1

British : taxpayer

2

: one who pays for a utility service and especially electricity according to established rates

Examples of ratepayer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, 104 large load tariffs have now been approved or proposed by regulators in 37 states to help rectify the shifting of data center costs from tech companies to everyday electricity ratepayers. — John Kostyack, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

And then there’s the annual plowing of millions in DWP surplus dollars into the City Hall piggy bank, which convinces ratepayers they’re being fleeced. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026

But utilities are promising investors and regulators that ratepayers won’t be stuck with AI’s tab, even as watchdogs point to cases shifting exactly those costs onto residential bills. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 July 2026

What remained in the bill was a provision that data centers pick up the tab for their own electricity bill, not ratepayers. — Alexandra Phelps, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ratepayer

• interlayer
• monolayer
• multilayer
• multiplayer
• overlayer
• assayer
• ballplayer
• betrayer
• bilayer
• bricklayer
• conveyer
• conveyor