An energy consumer consisting of a single private household, but not necessarily a single-family dwelling. This is one of three standard classifications of customers for commercial energy along with commercial and industrial customers. This classification can be divided into subclassifications for various planning and billing purposes. Residential customers with electric space heating, for example, comprise a subclassification of residential customers for many utilities because the elevated energy requirements of a household electric furnace distinguishes this type of customer from a household with non-electric heat.

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