Bandera Electric Cooperative Rate Selection Guide
Bandera Electric Cooperative (BEC) is a member-owned electric cooperative founded in 1938, serving roughly 42,000 meters across a seven-county region of the Texas Hill Country. Data access is member-facing only — the myBEC portal (NISC SmartHub) and the Apolloware real-time analytics platform — with no Green Button, EDI, public API, or third-party data-sharing programs.
Bandera Electric Cooperative Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large Power | Demand-billed C&I | $77.50/mo + $6.88/kW + $0.064950/kWh + transmission/ERCOT + PPCA | Facilities with peak demand of 50 kW or more |
| Three-Phase Service | Small commercial | $42.50/mo + $0.027000/kWh delivery + $0.074000/kWh energy + pass-throughs | Small businesses below the 50 kW Large Power threshold |
| Irrigation | Agricultural demand rate | $30-$42.50/mo + $3.55/kW + $0.039000/kWh delivery + $0.040600/kWh energy + pass-throughs | Water-pumping loads on ranches and farms |
| Outdoor Lighting | Flat-rate lighting | $11.20-$22.24 per fixture/month (LED/MV/HPS), no energy charge | Security and area lighting at any member site |
Market Overview
BEC's elected board of directors sets rates under the cooperative's tariff (current consolidated tariff dated September 24, 2024; rate values effective May 1, 2022). Bills combine a fixed availability charge, delivery/distribution and energy charges per kWh, demand charges for larger classes, and variable pass-throughs for transmission/ERCOT fees and the Purchase Power Cost Adjustment (PPCA). Texas cooperatives are exempt from mandatory retail competition, and BEC has not opted in, so members purchase all power from the cooperative.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Bandera Electric Cooperative Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
BEC's rates are set in its consolidated tariff (posted September 24, 2024) with base rate values effective May 1, 2022 and lighting rates effective August 1, 2023. Bills combine a fixed monthly availability charge, separate delivery/distribution and energy charges per kWh, demand charges for irrigation and large power classes, and variable pass-throughs for transmission/ERCOT fees and the Purchase Power Cost Adjustment (PPCA). Members whose peak demand reaches 50 kW (or new accounts with 50+ kVA transformer capacity) are classified as Large Power.
Effective: May 1, 2022 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large Power Service | commercial | Members with peak demand of 50 kW or greater, or new accounts with 50+ kVA transformer capacity | Availability charge $77.50/meter/month; demand charge $6.88 per billing kW; energy charge $0.064950/kWh; plus transmission/ERCOT fees and PPCA (both variable) | — |
| Three-Phase Service (small commercial) | commercial | Three-phase accounts below the Large Power threshold, including small commercial loads | Availability charge $42.50/meter/month; delivery/distribution charge $0.027000/kWh; energy charge $0.074000/kWh; plus transmission/ERCOT fees and PPCA | — |
| Irrigation Service | agricultural | Electric loads associated with pumping water | Availability charge $30.00 (single-phase) or $42.50 (three-phase) per meter/month; demand charge $3.55 per billing kW; delivery/distribution charge $0.039000/kWh; energy charge $0.040600/kWh; plus transmission/ERCOT fees and PPCA | — |
| Outdoor Lighting Service | commercial | Flat-rate outdoor/security lighting (effective August 1, 2023) | Flat monthly per-fixture charges: e.g., 50W LED $11.20, 100W LED $15.68, 175W MV $13.53, 250W HPS $22.24; no energy charge; PPCA varies | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large commercial facility (50+ kW demand)
Lodges, schools, water systems, and larger Hill Country businesses on Large Power Service
The $0.064950/kWh energy rate is BEC's lowest non-irrigation rate, but the $6.88/kW demand charge means peak management dominates the bill for low-load-factor operations.
- Track peak demand monthly — a single coincident spike sets the billing kW
- Stagger HVAC and equipment starts to shave peaks
- Consider battery storage through BEC's Energy Saver Program for peak reduction
Small commercial shop or office (three-phase, under 50 kW)
Retail, restaurants, and offices on Three-Phase Service
Below the 50 kW threshold there is no demand charge — total energy cost is about $0.101/kWh (delivery + energy) plus pass-throughs, so efficiency measures translate directly into savings.
- Watch growth: crossing 50 kW (or installing a 50+ kVA transformer) triggers Large Power classification
- Use myBEC monthly summaries to baseline usage
- LED retrofits and HVAC tune-ups offer the fastest payback at this rate level
Agricultural irrigation / water pumping
Ranch and farm pumping loads on the dedicated Irrigation schedule
Irrigation gets BEC's lowest energy rate ($0.040600/kWh) with a modest $3.55/kW demand charge — confirm pumping loads are metered on this schedule rather than general service.
- Verify pumping loads are separately metered to qualify
- Schedule pumping to limit coincident demand across pumps
- Maintain pump efficiency — worn impellers raise both kWh and kW
Multi-site portfolio / energy management firm
Consultants or platforms managing several BEC member accounts
With no API, Green Button, or aggregator integrations, portfolio data collection is manual — plan workflows around member-shared PDF bills and negotiated email delivery from Member Relations.
- Collect written authorizations and have members forward PDF bills monthly
- Ask Member Relations ((866) 226-3372, Option 3) about recurring bulk billing summaries
- Do not rely on reverse-engineered SmartHub endpoints — unsupported and possibly ToS-violating
Historical Rate Trends
BEC's 2022 tariff overhaul was its first major rate update in roughly eight years, restructuring base charges effective May 1, 2022 and updating Time-Based Usage and Energy Saver Program fees. Outdoor lighting rates were updated effective August 1, 2023, and the consolidated tariff was reissued September 24, 2024. Monthly bill variability since then has come mainly through the PPCA and transmission/ERCOT pass-throughs rather than base rate changes.
May 1, 2022
Major tariff overhaul — first significant rate restructuring in about eight years; current availability, delivery, energy, and demand charges took effect
RestructuringAugust 1, 2023
Outdoor lighting rate schedule updated with new LED, mercury vapor, and HPS fixture pricing
Lighting onlySeptember 24, 2024
Consolidated tariff reissued (current posted version), incorporating fees, Apolloware charges, distributed generation rates, and TBU schedules
Administrative updateOverall trend: Stable base rates since May 2022; bill variability driven by PPCA and transmission/ERCOT pass-throughs
Next expected change: No filed base rate change identified; PPCA adjusts with wholesale costs and the DG avoided-cost rate resets each July 1
Cost Optimization Strategies
With flat (non-TOU) commercial energy rates and a $6.88/kW demand charge on Large Power, peak demand management is the primary cost lever for BEC's C&I members, followed by correct schedule classification at the 50 kW threshold and monitoring of the variable PPCA pass-through.
Manage peak demand on Large Power
For: Large Power members (50+ kW)
Each kW of billing demand costs $6.88/month. Staggering equipment starts, load scheduling, and battery storage can cut billing demand directly — a 20 kW reduction saves about $1,650/year.
Audit classification at the 50 kW threshold
For: C&I members near 50 kW demand
Accounts near 50 kW peak demand should compare Large Power ($77.50/mo + $6.88/kW + $0.064950/kWh) against Three-Phase Service ($42.50/mo + $0.101/kWh combined energy+delivery). Low-load-factor accounts may pay less on the non-demand schedule.
Enroll in the Energy Saver Program / Apolloware
For: Members eligible for Energy Saver Program
Free Apolloware real-time monitoring (with solar, battery, or smart thermostat enrollment) exposes appliance-level consumption and demand patterns that BEC otherwise doesn't share, enabling targeted load reductions.
Evaluate on-site solar and storage against avoided-cost buyback
For: Commercial members considering DG ($1,250 interconnection fee applies)
BEC credits distributed generation at avoided wholesale power cost (reset each July 1), well below retail rates — so sizing systems for self-consumption and demand reduction beats exporting.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Bandera Electric Cooperative interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How can our energy management platform get usage data for commercial Bandera Electric accounts?▾
There is no API, Green Button, EDI, or aggregator integration. The supported workflow is manual: obtain written authorization, have the member download PDF bills from myBEC and forward them, or ask Member Relations ((866) 226-3372, Option 3) for a special arrangement such as recurring email billing summaries — which is case-by-case and not guaranteed.
Does BEC provide 15-minute interval data for commercial accounts?▾
Not through any supported channel. BEC's AMI meters collect 15-minute data into NISC SmartHub, but the standard myBEC portal shows only daily/monthly summaries. Real-time and appliance-level data is available exclusively to Energy Saver Program members through Apolloware, which has no export or external API. Reverse-engineered SmartHub endpoints exist but are unsupported and may violate terms of service.
When does a commercial account move to Large Power Service, and what changes?▾
Accounts with peak demand of 50 kW or greater — or new accounts with 50+ kVA transformer capacity — are classified as Large Power. The availability charge rises to $77.50/month and a $6.88 per billing kW demand charge applies, but the energy rate drops to $0.064950/kWh. High-load-factor facilities benefit; peaky, low-usage loads should manage demand carefully.
Can our business shop for a different electricity provider in BEC territory?▾
No. BEC is a member-owned cooperative in ERCOT that has not opted into Texas retail electric choice, so all members purchase power from the cooperative. Rates are set by BEC's elected board, with wholesale cost changes passed through via the PPCA and transmission/ERCOT fees.
What pass-through charges should we expect on top of the published rates?▾
Two variable line items: transmission/ERCOT fees and the Purchase Power Cost Adjustment (PPCA), both of which fluctuate with wholesale market conditions. The published availability, delivery, energy, and demand charges (effective May 1, 2022) are fixed between rate cases, so month-to-month bill variability comes mostly from these pass-throughs.
How are commercial solar exports compensated?▾
Distributed generation exports are credited at BEC's avoided wholesale power cost — prior-year power purchase cost (excluding demand, transmission, ERCOT, and distribution costs) divided by kWh purchased — recalculated annually and effective each July 1. Because this is well below retail rates, commercial systems should be sized for self-consumption and demand reduction, and a $1,250 interconnection fee applies.
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