Understanding Rates
At People's Energy, we strive to provide members with reliable electric service at fair and reasonable prices which meets or exceeds industry standards for availability, quality, and continuity.
To learn more about rates associated with distributed energy resources (wind, solar, etc.), click below.
Current Rate Structures
The rates listed below were effective September 1, 2021.
Please note this only lists rates that changed and the most common rates used by members. For a full listing of rates available, contact the Cooperative.
| Rate | Details |
|---|---|
|
Single-Phase Residential Service Includes: residential homes or apartments outside of an incorporated city |
Basic Service Charge: $52/month Energy Charge: |
|
Single-Phase Residential Urban Includes: residential homes or apartments within the boundaries of an incorporated city |
Basic Service Charge: $30/month Energy Charge: |
|
On-Peak Electric Space Heating (Closed - not available to new applications) Available for: separately metered, single-phase residential service for the primary purpose of heating with electricity |
Basic Service Charge: $5.50/month Energy Charge: |
|
Off-Peak Electric Space Heating Available for: separately metered, single-phase service, which has utility approved electric space heating equipment at least 8 kW. |
Basic Service Charge: $5.50/month Energy Charge: $0.06000/kWh |
|
Off-Peak Electric Vehicle Charging Available for: separately metered, single-phase service, which has utility approved hard-wired, level two electric vehicle charger |
Basic Service Charge: $5.50/month Energy Charge: $0.06000/kWh |
|
Dual Fuel Space Heating Available for: separately metered, controlled dual electric space heating where electric service is also used for lighting or other purposes |
Basic Service Charge: $5.50/month Energy Charge: $0.0711/kWh (Sept.-May) |
|
Load Management - Non-Compliant Available for: member whose same single-phase service was previously metered on load management rate and has been found to be non-compliant per the load management agreement |
Basic Service Charge: $5.50/month Energy Charge: |
|
Single-Phase General Service with Electric Heat
|
Basic Service Charge: $52.00/month Energy Charge: |
|
Off-Peak Electric Water Heating Available for: single-phase general service under a single-phase rate schedule, which has utility approved electric water heating equipment of at least 100 gallons, subject to the established rules and regulations of the Cooperative |
Basic Service Charge: $5.50/month Energy Charge: $0.06000/kWh |
| Electric, Shared/Community Water Well and Septic (Rate Y) |
Basic Service Charge: $20.00/month Energy Charge: |
|
Unconnected General Service Line Extensions Available to the consumers for whom the cooperative has extended service lines, but have no connected a service load, for general single-phase or three-phase service. |
Basic Service Charge: |
The rates listed below were effective September 1, 2021.
Please note this only lists rates that changed and the most common rates used by members. For a full listing of rates available, contact the Cooperative.
| Rate | Details |
|---|---|
|
Small General Service Includes: farms, small grain bins or dryers, and small to medium-sized businesses |
Basic Service Charge: Energy Charge: |
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Medium General Service Includes: farms, large grain bins or dryers, large-sized farms, medium to large size business, and industrial operations |
Basic Service Charge: Energy Charge: $0.06100/kWh Demand Charge: |
|
Controllable Seasonal Rate Available to members with seasonal energy use requiring between 70 and 300 KVA of transformer capacity |
Basic Service Charge: $123/month Energy Charge: $0.05710/kWh Demand Charges: Seasonal Demand Charge When Load Control is Requested: |
|
Peak Alert Interruptible Available to members where their monthly maximum demand will or has exceeded 20 kW for at least once annually and the member has the ability to maintain their system's operation during periods of load control through the use of a standby generator |
Basic Service Charge: $136/month Energy Charge: $0.05710/kWh Demand Charges: Seasonal Demand Charge when Load Control is Requested: |
|
Three-Phase General Service with Electric Heat |
Rate was discontinued beginning with September 1, 2021 and moved to appropriate General Service Rate. |
Cooperative owned, outdoor, dusk to dawn, unmetered lighting.
This rate includes installation, maintenance, and electricity with installation on an existing pole where 120 volts (secondary distribution facilities) is available ahead of the member's metering. All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be owned, maintained, and operated by the Cooperative.
The rates listed below were effective September 1, 2021.
Please note this only lists rates that changed and the most common rates used by members. For a full listing of rates available, contact the Cooperative.
| Rate | Details |
|---|---|
|
SMEC Single-Phase Residential Includes: residential homes or apartments |
Basic Service Charge: $30/month Energy Charge: |
|
SMEC Optional Single-Phase Residential Includes: residential homes or apartments |
Basic Service Charge: $30/month Energy Charge: Demand Charge: |
| SMEC Stored-Heat Space Heating (Off-Peak) (Rate 310) |
Basic Service Charge: $5.50 Energy Charge: |
| SMEC Controlled Water Heating (Rate 350 Off-Peak, 357 On-Peak, 358 Off-Peak) |
Basic Service Charge: $5.50 Energy Charge: |
The rates listed below were effective September 1, 2021.
Please note this only lists rates that changed and the most common rates used by members. For a full listing of rates available, contact the Cooperative.
| Rate | Details |
|---|---|
|
SMEC General Service Includes: small commercial buildings |
Basic Service Charge: Energy Charge: |
|
SMEC General Demand Service Includes: medium to large commercial buildings |
Basic Service Charge: Energy Charge: $0.06100/kWh Demand Charge: |
|
SMEC Large Power and Lighting Includes: large industrial operations |
Basic Service Charge: $115/month Energy Charge: $0.06100/kWh Demand Charge: |
|
SMEC Large Power and Lighting Interruptible Service Includes: large industrial operations |
Basic Service Charge: $250 Energy & Demand Charges: Sept.-May June-Aug. |
| SMEC Controlled Water Heating (Rate 350 Off-Peak, 357 On-Peak, 358 Off-Peak) |
Basic Service Charge: $5.50 Energy Charge: |
| Rate | Details |
|---|---|
|
SMEC Municipal Pumping
|
Rate was discontinued beginning September 1, 2020 and moved to appropriate General Service Rate. |
|
SMEC Demand Metered Municipal Pumping
|
Rate was discontinued beginning September 1, 2020 and moved to appropriate General Service Rate. |
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SMEC Single-Phase Farm
|
Rate was discontinued beginning September 1, 2020 and moved to appropriate General Service Rate. |
|
SMEC Three-Phase Farm
|
Rate was discontinued beginning September 1, 2020 and moved to appropriate General Service Rate. |
Cooperative owned, outdoor, dusk to dawn, unmetered lighting.
The rate for Cooperative owned lights includes installation, maintenance, and electricity with installation on existing pole where 120 volts (secondary distribution facilities) is available ahead of the member's metering. All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be owned, maintained, and operated by the Cooperative.
Municipal owned, outdoor, dusk to dawn, unmetered lighting.
The Cooperative will furnish all electric energy required to operate the municipality's street lighting system. All maintenance shall be the responsibility of the municipality.
*Holidays are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day
| Rate | Details |
|---|---|
|
Single-Phase Residential Time-of-Use Includes: residential homes or apartments |
Basic Service Charge: Energy Charge: Definition of Peak Periods: |
|
Optional Electric Vehicle Charging Time-of-Use Includes: electric vehicle charging |
Basic Service Charge: Energy Charge: Definition of Peak Periods: |
|
General Service Time-of-Use Includes: single or three-phase general service, 60 Hz, at available secondary voltages |
Basic Service Charge: Energy Charge: Definition of Peak Periods: |
|
General Service with Demand Time-of-Use Includes: single or three-phase general service, 60 Hz, at available secondary voltages |
Basic Service Charge: Energy (kWh) Charge (all days and months): Demand (kW) Charge: Winter, Other Months, and All Weekends and Holidays* (Sep - May; all days): |
Rate Definitions
The Basic Service Charge accounts for the majority of the Cooperative's investment in poles, wires, transformers, and equipment to provide members with electric service. It supports fleet, facility, and member service functions, such as outage response, line maintenance, member service support, and administrative responsibilities.
The Energy Charge is calculated based on the metered kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed during the billing period. The energy used to calculate this charge is also known as a member's usage.
The Demand Charge is determined by the highest amount of power, measured in kilowatts (kW), recorded by the meter during a designated period of time. This measurement resets each billing period. The charge is calculated by taking that measurement times the rate based on the time of year.
The Power Cost Adjustment reflects the increases or decreases in the Cooperative's cost to purchase and distribute wholesale power.