February 2021 Utility Rates Newsletter

IMPORTANT MONTHLY UPDATES

New Approach to Maintaining Database

The ETB Data team has started implementing new practices that enable us to update and maintain our rates database more efficiently. By prioritizing heavily used utilities and taking into consideration each utility’s typical update frequency, we have additional time to focus on rate details which allows us to provide an even more accurate and transparent database for our users.

If you would like to confirm whether the effective date available for a specific rate is the most current the utility offers, please reach out to utilityraterequest@energytoolbase.com and our team will be more than willing to verify and update as necessary.

Base Rates for ORU - New York Undergo Considerable Changes

Orange and Rockland Utilities (ORU) is one of the main investor-owned utilities (IOUs) providing electricity to the residents of New York. It is typical for large utilities to update their rates at the beginning of the year, this January was no exception for ORU. Although increases and/or decreases were seen across all base charges, the most substantial changes occurred within the commercial rates.

The high usage energy charge within the demand option of rate SC 2 increased by 25% for both summer and winter seasons. The demand charges under this service classification also increased roughly 4%, bringing the summer demand charge over $20/kW for all over 5 kW. Rate SC 20 had a 25% decrease in both the summer on-peak (1-7 pm M-F) energy charge and the winter on peak (10 am-9 pm M-F) energy charge. In addition, the on-peak demand charges increased more than 5% bringing the summer demand charge over $30/kW.

Ohio IOUs Reduce and Eliminate Several Rates Adjustments 

Historically, Ohio investor-owned utilities, such as Duke Energy and AEP Ohio update their rates every January. IOUs in Ohio are infamous for incorporating several riders or rate adjustments in addition to the base charges assessed under each service classification. Many of these riders are reviewed and updated on an annual basis, some remain unchanged for years.

This past month, the Energy Efficiency and Peak Demand Reduction Cost Recovery rider (variations in name among utilities) was set to zero for all of Ohio’s predominant electric distribution utilities. This rate adjustment, varying between a credit and a charge, has been in effect for over a decade. Just as the name suggests, the purpose of this rider was to fund utility energy efficiency programs aimed at contributing to the statewide objective to reduce energy use by 17.5%. It is currently being evaluated whether Ohio reached its goal.

FPL Implements EV Rates

Electric Vehicle (EV) rates are on the rise! Over the last few years, EV rates have made their arrival among many utilities, including California IOU’s, Georgia Power, and Florida Power & Light (FPL). As of January 1st, 2021, FPL has rolled out a 5-Year Pilot Program for new EV rates: GSD-1EV and GSLD-1EV. These rates have been designed to handle fast charging by limiting demand charges during periods of low energy use. FPL continues to have a high focus on EV implementation and with the growing necessity of these rates, they are certainly on the right track.

WEBINAR: Ready or Not, Here they Come: PG&E's New B Rates become Mandatory 

Thursday, February 18, 2021, 11 AM PST/2 PM EST