BrightRidge (Johnson City Power Board) Rate Selection Guide
BrightRidge (formerly Johnson City Power Board) is a municipal electric utility serving roughly 84,000 customers in northeast Tennessee as a TVA local power company. Data access is centered on the SmartHub portal; there is no Green Button, EDI, or public API, so commercial and industrial data access is largely manual.
BrightRidge (Johnson City Power Board) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSA-1 (Rate 440) | Commercial | ~12.80 cents/kWh all-in (incl. FCA) | Small commercial, energy-only, no demand charge |
| GSA-2 (Rate 550) | Commercial | ~7.97-12.93 cents/kWh + $15.46/kW demand | Mid-size loads with manageable peak demand |
| GSA-3 (Rate 554/555) | Industrial | ~7.98 cents/kWh + $17.02-$17.20/kW demand | Large high-load-factor industrial plants |
| Commercial EV Charging | EV | ~24.74 cents/kWh + $100 base | Dedicated commercial EV charging |
Market Overview
Bundled, regulated municipal utility. BrightRidge buys wholesale power from TVA and sells bundled retail service under TVA rate schedules. No retail choice or CCA exists; the BrightRidge board sets retail rates within TVA contract constraints, plus a monthly FCA.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the BrightRidge (Johnson City Power Board) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
BrightRidge publishes monthly commercial/industrial rate sheets. Rates below are from the official May 2026 rate PDF. Each schedule combines a base energy charge, a monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA), and an administrative (ADM) fee; larger General Power Service (GSA) classes add demand charges. A 1.5%-7.5% Tennessee sales tax applies to most business charges.
Effective: May 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Power Service GSA-1 (Rate 440, 1PH & 3PH) | commercial | Small commercial customers (single- or three-phase). Energy-only, no demand charge. | Base energy 9.291 cents/kWh (0-15,000 kWh) + FCA 3.006 cents/kWh = ~12.797 cents/kWh total. ADM fee $26.54/month (1PH) or $44.05/month (3PH). | ~12.80 cents/kWh all-in (incl. FCA), May 2026+ None |
| General Power Service GSA-2 (Rate 550) | commercial | Medium commercial customers with demand above the GSA-1 threshold (up to ~1,000 kW). | Base energy 9.921 cents/kWh (0-15,000 kWh) then 5.016 cents/kWh additional; FCA ~2.958-3.006 cents/kWh. Demand: first 50 kW no charge, next 950 kW at $15.46/kW. ADM fee $89.83/month. | Tiered ~12.93 cents/kWh (first block) / ~7.97 cents/kWh additional incl. FCA+ $15.46/kW (after first 50 kW free) |
| General Power Service GSA-3 (Rate 554/555) | industrial | Large commercial & industrial customers with high demand (typically >1,000 kW). | Base energy 5.021 cents/kWh all kWh + FCA 2.958 cents/kWh = ~7.979 cents/kWh. Demand: first 1,000 kW at $17.02/kW, additional kW at $17.20/kW, plus $17.20/kW excess-demand adder above the higher of 2,500 kW or contract demand. ADM fee $224.58/month. | ~7.98 cents/kWh all-in (incl. FCA) + demand+ $17.02/kW (first 1,000), $17.20/kW additional |
| Commercial Electric Vehicle Charging | ev | Commercial EV charging stations. | $100 base charge + 21.773 cents/kWh base + FCA 2.965 cents/kWh = ~24.738 cents/kWh total (May 2026). | ~24.74 cents/kWh all-in+ None listed |
| TDMSA / TDGSA (Large Manufacturing/General, TVA) | industrial | Very large industrial and manufacturing loads served under TVA's Time-of-Day Manufacturing/General Service Agreements. | Negotiated TVA TDMSA/TDGSA pricing with time-of-day energy and demand components; contact BrightRidge Key Account Representative at (423) 952-5142. Specific rates not published online. | Not published - contact Key Account Rep+ TVA time-of-day demand structure |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small business / retail storefront
Low-demand commercial accounts (offices, shops, restaurants) under the GSA-1 threshold.
GSA-1 is energy-only with no demand charge, so small steady loads avoid demand penalties. All-in energy is ~12.8 cents/kWh including FCA.
- Confirm single- vs three-phase service (different ADM fees: $26.54 vs $44.05)
- Watch the monthly FCA, which moves with TVA fuel costs
- Use SmartHub usage graphs to confirm you are not crossing into GSA-2 demand territory
Mid-size facility with measurable demand
Manufacturing, warehouse, or multi-tenant buildings with demand between ~50 and 1,000 kW.
GSA-2 offers a lower second-block energy rate (5.016 cents/kWh additional) but adds a $15.46/kW demand charge after the first 50 kW. Managing peak demand directly controls cost.
- Shift or stagger large equipment startups to flatten peak kW
- The first 50 kW of demand is free - keep peaks as low as possible
- Use interval data (via manual request) to identify demand spikes
Large industrial / high-demand plant
Heavy industrial loads above ~1,000 kW.
GSA-3 has the lowest energy rate (~7.98 cents/kWh all-in) but the highest demand charges ($17.02-$17.20/kW plus an excess-demand adder). Very large loads should evaluate TVA TDMSA/TDGSA time-of-day agreements.
- Avoid demand above the higher of 2,500 kW or your contract demand to dodge the $17.20/kW adder
- Request a Key Account Representative at (423) 952-5142 to model TDMSA/TDGSA
- Invest in demand management - demand charges dominate the bill at this scale
Fleet / commercial EV charging
Businesses operating commercial EV charging.
The dedicated commercial EV rate (~24.74 cents/kWh all-in + $100 base) isolates charging load from the main account, simplifying cost tracking.
- Compare against putting charging on the main GSA account if demand is low
- Track FCA changes monthly
- Schedule charging during off-peak hours where operationally feasible
Historical Rate Trends
BrightRidge adjusts rates as TVA wholesale costs change, plus a monthly FCA that moves with fuel prices. The board approved a general rate increase effective October 2025.
October 1, 2025
BrightRidge board approved a 2.5% electric rate increase effective the October 2025 billing period (FY2026 budget), citing industrial revenue losses.
+2.5%May 1, 2026
May 2026 monthly rate sheet published with current GSA-1/2/3 base energy charges and FCA values.
monthly FCA updateOverall trend: Gradual upward pressure driven by TVA wholesale costs and industrial revenue dynamics, smoothed monthly through the FCA.
Next expected change: Monthly FCA adjustments; next base-rate review at board discretion within TVA contract terms.
Cost Optimization Strategies
With no time-of-use exposure on standard GSA classes (TOU applies to qualifying TVA customers) and demand charges concentrated in GSA-2/GSA-3, the biggest C&I savings come from demand management and selecting the right GSA tier.
Demand (kW) management
For: GSA-2 and GSA-3 customers
Stagger large equipment, sequence startups, and use controls to flatten peak demand. GSA-2 gives the first 50 kW free; GSA-3 adds a steep adder above 2,500 kW or contract demand.
Right-size the GSA tier
For: All C&I
Verify you are on the lowest-cost GSA class for your actual load shape. Energy-heavy/low-demand loads favor GSA-1/GSA-2; high-load-factor industrial loads favor GSA-3's lower energy rate.
Evaluate TVA TDMSA/TDGSA
For: Large industrial (>~2,500 kW)
For very large manufacturers, TVA time-of-day agreements can lower energy costs in exchange for shifting load off peak periods.
Track the monthly FCA
For: All C&I
The Fuel Cost Adjustment changes monthly with TVA wholesale fuel costs and applies to every kWh. Monitor it to forecast and budget energy spend.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download BrightRidge (Johnson City Power Board) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BrightRidge offer Green Button or an API for commercial energy data?▾
No. BrightRidge has not enabled Green Button Download My Data or Connect My Data, and there is no public API or ESPI endpoint. Commercial customers use the SmartHub portal for daily/monthly usage, and any deeper data sharing is handled manually through customer service.
How can a C&I customer get interval (hourly) data from BrightRidge?▾
The Tantalus TUNet AMI collects hourly interval reads, but they are not exposed in SmartHub. To obtain granular interval data, call customer service at (423) 952-5000 (or a Key Account Representative at (423) 952-5142) and request a manual export; format and turnaround are negotiated case-by-case.
Which rate schedule applies to my business?▾
Small energy-only loads use GSA-1 (Rate 440). Medium loads with demand use GSA-2 (Rate 550, first 50 kW of demand free, then $15.46/kW). Large industrial loads use GSA-3 (Rate 554/555), and the very largest manufacturers may qualify for TVA TDMSA/TDGSA agreements.
What is the FCA on my bill?▾
The Fuel Cost Adjustment is a per-kWh charge that changes monthly to track TVA wholesale fuel costs. It is added to the base energy charge on every BrightRidge rate class, including all GSA tiers.
Can a third-party energy consultant access my BrightRidge data?▾
Yes, but only via manual authorization. You must authorize the consultant in writing with customer service at (423) 952-5000, after which BrightRidge can provide bills or usage data by email or file on a case-by-case basis. There is no automated third-party portal or aggregator integration.
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