Central Alabama Electric Cooperative Rate Selection Guide
Central Alabama Electric Cooperative (CAEC) is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving roughly 47,000 meters across ten counties north of Montgomery, Alabama. CAEC offers a self-service billing portal and hourly AMI usage data, but does not yet support Green Button, EDI, or programmatic third-party data access.
Central Alabama Electric Cooperative Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Power Service | Commercial | $1.66/day + $0.05909 dist + $0.09337 power/kWh | Very small commercial sites under 10 kW / 1,500 kWh per month |
| Medium Power Service | Commercial | $2.09/day + $0.04245 dist + $0.08752 power/kWh | Single-phase commercial up to 400 amps |
| Large / Three-Phase (contract) | Industrial | Negotiated contract (not published) | Larger three-phase C&I loads |
Market Overview
Alabama is a regulated, vertically integrated state with no retail electric competition. CAEC is a non-profit electric cooperative whose rates are set by its member-elected Board of Trustees. A Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) passes through changes in wholesale power cost; the current PCA is -$0.00067/kWh.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Central Alabama Electric Cooperative Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
CAEC publishes per-day access charges plus per-kWh distribution and wholesale power cost components. A Power Cost Adjustment (PCA), currently -$0.00067/kWh, is applied to the energy charge. Verified rates below are from CAEC's published Rates & Availability page. CAEC's published non-residential schedules are aimed at small and medium single-phase loads; larger three-phase C&I loads are served under individually negotiated contracts not published online.
Effective: June 4, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Power Service | commercial | Non-residential services less than 10 kW and less than 1,500 kWh per month; single-phase 120/240V, max 10 HP motor. | Daily access charge $1.66/day; distribution charge $0.05909/kWh; wholesale power cost $0.09337/kWh (plus PCA). Minimum daily charge $1.66. | — |
| Medium Power Service | commercial | All non-residential single-phase services up to 400 amps; 120/240V, max 10 HP motor. | Daily access charge $2.09/day; distribution charge $0.04245/kWh; wholesale power cost $0.08752/kWh (plus PCA). Minimum daily charge $2.09. | — |
| Large / Three-Phase Power Service (contract) | industrial | Non-residential loads exceeding the single-phase Medium Power thresholds (over 400 amps or three-phase service). | Not published online. Served under individually negotiated contracts; contact CAEC for a quote. Energy component still subject to the Power Cost Adjustment. | — |
| Outdoor / Security Light Service | commercial | Dusk-to-dawn outdoor lighting for members. | Flat monthly rate per fixture (base rate + wholesale power cost). Example: LED non-switched $9.02/mo; 400W HPS $27.88/mo; 1000W MH $51.23/mo. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial site (under 10 kW)
Small storefronts and offices below 10 kW and 1,500 kWh/month fall under Small Power Service.
It is the only published schedule for very small non-residential loads; the daily access charge is low ($1.66/day).
- Confirm monthly kWh stays under 1,500 to remain eligible
- Monitor hourly usage to control the wholesale-power per-kWh component
Mid-size single-phase commercial (up to 400 A)
Larger single-phase commercial sites up to 400 amps should use Medium Power Service.
Medium Power has lower distribution ($0.04245) and wholesale-power ($0.08752) per-kWh rates than Small Power, rewarding higher usage.
- Ensure the account is classified as Medium Power, not Small
- Use usage annotations to target reduction opportunities
Large or three-phase industrial load
Three-phase or large loads beyond Medium Power thresholds require a negotiated contract.
No published schedule covers these loads; CAEC prices them individually.
- Contact CAEC engineering early in facility planning
- Request the full contract terms and any demand-based components in writing
Historical Rate Trends
CAEC's energy charge moves primarily through the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA), which the Board of Trustees raises or lowers to reflect wholesale power cost, operating cost, and sales volume.
June 4, 2026
Current Power Cost Adjustment set at -$0.00067/kWh, applied as a small credit to the energy charge across all schedules.
-0.07¢/kWhOverall trend: PCA-driven; the current PCA of -$0.00067/kWh is a slight credit, indicating wholesale costs modestly below the base recovery level.
Next expected change: PCA is reviewed by the Board of Trustees as needed; no fixed schedule is published.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because CAEC's published commercial rates are energy-driven with no demand charge on Small/Medium Power, C&I cost management centers on reducing kWh and confirming the correct rate classification rather than peak-demand shaving.
Verify rate classification
For: Single-phase commercial sites near the 10 kW / 1,500 kWh threshold
Confirm whether the site qualifies for Small vs. Medium Power Service; Medium Power has a lower distribution and wholesale-power per-kWh rate, which benefits higher-usage single-phase sites.
Track hourly usage via the portal
For: All commercial members
Use the hourly AMI usage portal and annotations to identify high-usage equipment and shift or reduce consumption.
Negotiate a large-load contract
For: Large C&I and industrial loads
For three-phase or large loads, engage CAEC directly to negotiate contract terms rather than defaulting to single-phase schedules.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Central Alabama Electric Cooperative interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a facilities or energy manager get programmatic access to CAEC interval data?▾
No. CAEC offers no API, Green Button Connect, or aggregator program. A C&I customer must download/share data manually or grant a representative portal access after written authorization to CAEC.
What interval granularity is available for a commercial account?▾
Hourly (60-minute) AMI interval data, published to the member usage portal by end of business day and viewable as graphs. No standardized CSV/XML export is formally documented.
How far back does billing history go for a business account?▾
Up to 24 months of bills are available in PDF through the online portal, the same depth as residential accounts.
Does CAEC support Green Button or EDI for commercial customers?▾
No. Neither Green Button (DMD/CMD) nor EDI transaction sets are publicly supported. Data access is limited to the proprietary portal and mobile app.
How does a third party get authorized to access a CAEC business account?▾
The account holder provides written authorization to CAEC, then contacts CAEC at (800) 545-5735 or a service center with the authorization and the third party's credentials. Access is granted case-by-case; all data transfer is manual.
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