About Electric Rates

How do I learn more about Electric Rates?

Listed below, you will find brief descriptions of the major rates schedules available for nonresidential services.  Or you can view a complete listing of rate schedules and other rate options.

View all rate schedules or call 1-877-DUKESBC (385-3722)with questions

Standard Rates

Schedule G (SC)

Schedule G is available to any non-manufacturing business (such as retail stores, professional offices, or restaurants) or other establishments that are not classified as residential or industrial.

Schedule GA (SC)

Similar to Schedule G, Schedule GA is available where environmental space conditioning is required and all such conditioning is supplied electrically.  Additionally, all electric usage in the establishment must be recorded through a single meter. Service under Schedule GA results in lower average annual prices than Schedule G because Schedule GA has a different demand ratchet and lower rates in the winter months.

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Schedule I (SC)

Schedule I is an industrial service schedule available to businesses classified as "manufacturing industries" by the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual (published by the Federal Government) – provided that more than 50% of the electric usage is for manufacturing processes.

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Time-of-Use Rates

Schedule OPT (SC)

Schedule OPT is available for any business and other nonresidential customers.  This rate encourages a shift of electrical usage from "on-peak" to "off-peak" hours.  Charges on this schedule vary according to the time of day, day of week, and season in which energy is used. On-peak and off-peak hours are defined as follows for the summer and winter periods:

Summer
June 1 to September 30
Monday to Friday
1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Winter
October 1 to May 31
Monday to Friday
6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Generally if your business operates during hours outside the typical workday of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, five days a week, you may benefit from a time of use rate. Time of use rates are beneficial for businesses that are open six or seven days a week, such as convenience stores and retail businesses.  Businesses with significant energy usage on weekends or during late evening hours, such as the lighting for car lots or recreational businesses like bowling alleys, could also benefit.  However, OPT is not likely to be advantageous to customers using less than 2500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month.