Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County Rate Selection Guide
Chelan County PUD is a customer-owned public utility district serving roughly 51,000 electric customers in north-central Washington with some of the lowest hydroelectric rates in the United States. The utility has completed a near-total AMI smart meter rollout but offers limited programmatic data access (no Green Button, EDI, or third-party API). As public power, there is no retail energy choice.
Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 2 (40+ kW) | Commercial / Small Industrial | $29.70 basic + $2.80/kW demand + $0.0275/kWh | Commercial and small-industrial sites with demand at or above 40 kW. |
| Schedule 3 | Primary Power (0.4-5 aMW) | $142 basic + $3.60/kW demand + $0.0160/kWh | Large industrial and primary-metered loads up to 5 aMW seeking the lowest energy rate. |
| Schedule 30 (TOU) | Primary Power TOU | $142 basic + $3.60/kW + $0.0180 on-peak / $0.0120 off-peak | Large loads that can shift consumption to off-peak periods. |
| Schedule 35 | High Density Load | $155-$995 basic + $6.40/kW demand + $0.0313/kWh | High energy-intensity facilities up to 3 MW. |
| Rate 36 | Data Center / Crypto | $155-$995 basic + $6.40/kW + $0.0304/kWh + upfront capital | Data centers, cryptocurrency mining, and similar high-load-factor computing loads. |
Market Overview
Washington operates a regulated, vertically-integrated electricity market. Chelan PUD is a customer-owned public utility district generating predominantly hydroelectric power and serving as the sole provider in its territory. Rates are set by the elected Board of Commissioners. There is no competitive retail supplier choice and no community choice aggregation.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Chelan PUD's C&I rates are set by its Board of Commissioners and reflect low-cost hydro generation. Figures below are from the published rate schedules effective 6/1/2024 (Schedule 35 eff 2/1/2024). In November 2024, commissioners approved 3% electric rate increases effective June 2025 and June 2026; verify current effective charges on the rate schedules page or by calling (509) 663-8121.
Effective: June 1, 2024 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 2 — General Service (0-39 kW) | commercial | Commercial, small industrial, farm power, and multiple-residential customers (secondary metered, Part A-2) under 40 kW demand. | Basic Charge $19.80/mo single-phase or $29.70/mo three-phase; Energy Charge $0.0310/kWh (eff 6/1/2024). No demand charge below 40 kW. | — |
| Schedule 2 — General Service (40+ kW) | commercial | Commercial/small industrial customers (Part A-2) reaching or exceeding 40 kW demand in the billing period. | Basic Charge $19.80/mo single / $29.70/mo three-phase; Demand Charge $2.80/kW; Energy Charge $0.0275/kWh (eff 6/1/2024). | — |
| Schedule 3 — Standard / Primary Power Service | industrial | Customers with average loads from 0.4 up to and including 5 annual average MW (aMW) at a single point of delivery. | Basic Charge $142/mo; Demand Charge $3.60/kW; Energy Charge $0.0160/kWh (eff 6/1/2024). Energy above 5 aMW is subject to Mid-C market surcharges. | — |
| Schedule 30 — Time of Use (Primary Power) | industrial | Optional TOU rate for 0.4-5 aMW customers under agreement with the District. | Basic Charge $142/mo; Demand Charge $3.60/kW; On-Peak Energy $0.0180/kWh, Off-Peak Energy $0.0120/kWh (eff 6/1/2024). | — |
| Schedule 35 — High Density Load | industrial | Loads with energy use intensity >=250 kWh/ft2/year and average loads up to and including 3 MW at a single point of delivery (excludes Schedule 36 loads). | Basic Charge $155/mo (<=300 kW), $650/mo (300 kW-<1 MW), or $995/mo (1-5 MW); Demand Charge $6.40/kW; Energy Charge $0.0313/kWh; plus Upfront Capital Charge (eff 2/1/2024). | — |
| Rate 36 — Data Centers & Similar Loads | industrial | Data centers, server farms, cryptocurrency mining, blockchain, and similar high-density/high-load-factor computing loads up to 3 MW (over 3 MW by contract). | Basic Charge $155/mo (<=300 kW) to $995/mo (1-3 MW); Demand Charge $6.40/kW (non-residential); Energy Charge $0.0304/kWh (recalculated at least annually); plus Upfront Capital Charge (eff 6/1/2024). | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial / light industrial site
Commercial and small-industrial facilities under ~0.4 aMW are billed on Schedule 2 General Service, with a 40+ kW demand tier once peak demand reaches 40 kW.
Schedule 2 is the default for commercial/small-industrial loads; the 40+ kW tier swaps a higher flat energy charge for a demand charge of $2.80/kW plus $0.0275/kWh, rewarding good load factor.
- Track monthly peak demand to avoid crossing the 40 kW tier unnecessarily
- Maintain power factor per Schedule 24
- Request manual usage data from Business Services for load analysis since interval data isn't self-serviceable
Large industrial / manufacturing load (0.4-5 aMW)
Large primary-metered loads qualify for Schedule 3 (or TOU Schedule 30), which deliver the lowest energy rate in Chelan's tariff.
At ~$0.0160/kWh (Schedule 3), energy is dramatically cheaper than general service; TOU Schedule 30 can lower off-peak energy to $0.0120/kWh for shiftable load. The $142 fixed and $3.60/kW demand charges are easily offset at scale.
- Confirm the site sustains >=0.4 aMW to remain on Schedule 3/30
- Evaluate Schedule 30 if load can shift off-peak
- Watch the 5 aMW cap to avoid Mid-C market surcharges
Data center, crypto mining, or high-density computing load
High energy-use-intensity and data-processing loads are directed to Schedule 35 (High Density Load) or Rate 36 (Data Centers & Similar Loads), each with tiered fixed charges and an upfront capital charge.
These purpose-built schedules price incremental infrastructure (higher $6.40/kW demand and upfront capital charges) for portable, high-load-factor loads. A power-sales contract is generally required before connection.
- Budget for the per-kW Upfront Capital Charge before connection
- Engage Business Services early; service may require a power-sales contract
- Confirm substation capacity availability for the requested load
Energy manager / consultant needing data access
Third parties seeking Chelan PUD usage or billing data must use the manual authorization process, as no API, Green Button, or EDI exists.
Chelan offers no programmatic data access. The only path is signed customer authorization submitted to Business Services, with manual delivery.
- Collect signed customer authorization (name, account number, scope) up front
- Build in lead time; turnaround and format vary
- Ask Business Services about the interval-data roadmap for future automation
Historical Rate Trends
Chelan PUD has applied modest, periodic rate increases tied to a multi-year rate plan. Published schedules show step increases on 6/1/2021, 6/1/2022, 6/1/2023, and 6/1/2024, with a two-year extension adding 3% electric increases effective June 2025 and June 2026.
June 1, 2024
Scheduled rate-plan step increase across electric schedules (e.g., Schedule 3 energy charge to $0.0160/kWh, Schedule 2 40+ kW to $0.0275/kWh).
~3%June 1, 2025
3% electric rate increase under the Board-approved two-year rate-plan extension (Nov 2024).
+3%June 1, 2026
3% electric rate increase, second year of the approved two-year extension.
+3%Overall trend: Gradual, low single-digit annual increases off an extremely low hydro-based rate base.
Next expected change: 3% electric increase effective June 2026 (final year of the approved two-year extension); a new rate plan is expected to follow.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because Chelan's energy charges are already among the lowest in the country, C&I cost optimization focuses on demand management, correct schedule selection, and power factor rather than energy procurement (there is no retail choice).
Confirm optimal schedule placement
For: C&I customers near the 0.4 aMW threshold or with primary-metering capability
Verify whether a site belongs on Schedule 2 (general service) versus Schedule 3/30 primary power. Large loads (>=0.4 aMW) on Schedule 3 pay only ~$0.016/kWh versus $0.0275-$0.0310 on Schedule 2, though Schedule 3 carries a $142 fixed charge and demand charge.
Manage peak demand (kW)
For: Any C&I customer with demand-based billing (40+ kW, primary power, high-density)
Demand charges range from $2.80/kW (Schedule 2 40+ kW) to $6.40/kW (Schedules 35/36). Staggering equipment startup, load-shifting, and peak shaving directly reduce the billed demand component.
Consider Time-of-Use (Schedule 30)
For: 0.4-5 aMW customers with flexible/shiftable load
Primary-power customers who can shift load to off-peak hours pay $0.0120/kWh off-peak versus $0.0180 on-peak under Schedule 30, versus a flat $0.0160 on Schedule 3.
Maintain power factor
For: Customers with significant inductive load (motors, HVAC)
All C&I schedules are subject to Power Factor Schedule 24. Maintaining a satisfactory power factor avoids penalty adjustments to demand billing.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a C&I customer or energy consultant get interval (15-minute) data from Chelan PUD?▾
Not yet via self-service. Although ~98.5% of meters are AMI smart meters, customer-facing interval data tools are still under development. C&I customers and authorized consultants must request usage data manually by emailing ContactUs@chelanpud.org or calling (509) 663-8121; format and turnaround vary.
Does Chelan PUD support Green Button, an API, or EDI for automated data access?▾
No. Chelan PUD does not support Green Button Download or Connect My Data, has no public developer API, and runs no EDI program. All data beyond the PowerPay portal is shared manually. Organizations needing programmatic access should establish a Business Services relationship and ask about future roadmap options.
How does a third party (aggregator/energy manager) get authorized to access a customer's data?▾
There is no automated authorization workflow. The third party must obtain a signed customer authorization letter or form (customer name, account number, scope of data), then submit it to Chelan PUD customer service. Staff provide billing/usage data on a case-by-case basis via email, mail, or portal access.
What commercial and industrial rate schedules does Chelan PUD offer?▾
Key C&I schedules are Schedule 2 General Service (commercial/small industrial, with separate 0-39 kW and 40+ kW demand tiers), Schedule 3 Standard/Primary Power Service and Schedule 30 Time-of-Use (loads of 0.4-5 aMW), Schedule 35 High Density Load (high energy-use-intensity loads up to 3 MW), and Rate 36 for data centers and similar loads (including cryptocurrency mining).
Are Chelan PUD rates really that low, and are they changing?▾
Yes. Backed by low-cost hydroelectric generation, Chelan's C&I energy charges (e.g., roughly $0.016/kWh on Schedule 3 as of mid-2024) are among the lowest in the U.S. In November 2024 commissioners approved a two-year rate-plan extension with 3% electric increases effective June 2025 and June 2026.
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