Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc. Rate Selection Guide
Choptank Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving roughly 57,000 accounts across all nine counties of Maryland's Eastern Shore. It runs the NISC SmartHub portal with Green Button Download My Data, deployed AMI capturing 15-minute interval data, and as a Maryland utility offers a Customer Choice supplier-shopping program with the cooperative as the default provider.
Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc. Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule C-D (Commercial Demand) | commercial | $19.50/mo + $0.05590/kWh delivery + $2.00/kW demand (delivery); SOS $0.05235/kWh + $1.00/kW | Single-phase commercial loads ≤ 50 KVA (new members) |
| Schedule S (General Service Small) | commercial | $37.50/mo + $0.03758/kWh + $4.20/kW delivery; SOS $0.04996/kWh + $2.00/kW gen + $2.85/kW trans | Three-phase or > 50 kW loads up to 100 kW |
| Schedule M (General Service Medium) | industrial | $65.00/mo + $0.03758/kWh + $4.20/kW delivery; same SOS structure as S | Loads over 100 kW |
| Schedule GT / PT (TOU) | industrial | Delivery $4.20/kW (GT) or $4.50/kW (PT) + TOU SOS energy with summer on-peak demand $7.01-7.29/kW | Larger loads that can shift off summer 2-6 p.m. peaks |
Market Overview
Maryland offers retail electric supply choice. Choptank Electric is the regulated distribution cooperative and always delivers power. C&I members may purchase generation/transmission supply from a competitive retail electricity supplier through the Customer Choice program, or default to Standard Offer Service (SOS) from the cooperative. Delivery service charges remain regulated by the Maryland PSC.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc. Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Choptank C&I bills separate a regulated delivery component (consumer charge, energy delivery $/kWh, and demand $/kW on demand schedules) from a Standard Offer Service supply component (generation + transmission), which is replaced by a competitive supplier's charges if the member shops. The figures below are verified from Choptank's consolidated tariff (effective dates as noted on each schedule).
Effective: March 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule C — Commercial Service | commercial | Commercial, industrial, public buildings, clubs, churches, schools, etc., single-phase, 50 KVA and less (closed to new members; new members go on C-D). | Consumer charge $19.50/month; energy delivery $0.06552/kWh. SOS supply: $0.05762/kWh plus transmission $0.01202/kWh (SOS applies only if not shopping). Plus PCA, Universal Service charge, MD environmental surcharge, and franchise tax. | — |
| Schedule C-D — Commercial Demand Service | commercial | Commercial/industrial single-phase, 50 KVA and less; all new commercial members are placed on C-D. | Consumer charge $19.50/month; energy delivery $0.05590/kWh; demand delivery $2.00/kW. SOS supply: energy $0.05235/kWh, demand $1.00/kW, transmission $0.01202/kWh. Billing demand = max 15-minute kW. Plus PCA and surcharges. | — |
| Schedule S — General Service Small | commercial | Three-phase service and single-phase over 50 KVA, or billing demand over 50 kW (up to 100 kW, above which members move to Schedule M). | Consumer charge $37.50/month; energy delivery $0.03758/kWh; demand $4.20/kW; RKVAHr $0.00264. SOS supply: generation energy $0.04996/kWh, generation demand $2.00/kW, transmission energy $0.00125/kWh, transmission demand $2.85/kW. Billing demand = max 15-minute kW. | — |
| Schedule M — General Service Medium | industrial | Three-phase service and single-phase over 100 KVA, or billing demand over 100 kW. | Consumer charge $65.00/month; energy delivery $0.03758/kWh; demand $4.20/kW; RKVAHr $0.00264. SOS supply: generation energy $0.04996/kWh, generation demand $2.00/kW, transmission energy $0.00125/kWh, transmission demand $2.85/kW. Billing demand = max 15-minute kW. | — |
| Schedule GT — General Power Time-of-Use | industrial | Three-phase or single-phase over 50 KVA / 50 kW demand electing time-of-use (not available to net-metered or seasonal members). | Consumer charge $37.50 single-phase / $50.00 multi-phase; energy delivery $0.03758/kWh; demand $4.20/kW. SOS generation summer on-peak $0.29287/kWh, off-peak $0.04507/kWh, with on-peak summer demand $7.29/kW. On-peak = summer weekday 2-6 p.m. | — |
| Schedule P / PT — Primary Service | industrial | Members taking service at primary distribution voltage; PT is the primary time-of-use variant. | Primary TOU (PT): energy delivery $0.01832/kWh; demand delivery $4.50/kW; SOS generation on-peak $0.23689/kWh, off-peak $0.04437/kWh, on-peak summer demand $7.01/kW. Reflects lower delivery charges for customer-owned primary equipment. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Single-phase commercial site
New commercial members land on demand-billed Schedule C-D, so manage the 15-minute peak even at small sizes.
C-D adds a $2.00/kW delivery + $1.00/kW SOS demand charge on top of energy, so peaks matter even under 50 KVA.
- Pull Green Button data to find the monthly peak interval
- Avoid simultaneous startup of HVAC and large equipment
- Confirm whether SOS or a competitive supplier is cheaper
Three-phase / mid-size facility
On Schedule S, the combined $4.20/kW delivery + $2.85/kW SOS transmission demand charge makes peak shaving the top priority.
Demand charges dominate the bill for loads over 50 kW; small peak reductions compound monthly.
- Use 15-minute Green Button data to target peaks
- Maintain power factor above 90% to avoid RKVAHr charges
- Evaluate Schedule GT if load can shift off summer 2-6 p.m.
Large / primary-voltage industrial load
Consider primary service (P/PT) and time-of-use to lower delivery charges and avoid summer on-peak demand.
Primary-voltage delivery charges are lower ($0.01832/kWh on PT), and TOU rewards shifting off the summer peak window.
- Model TOU on-peak demand ($7.01-7.29/kW) against current usage
- Shift batch/process loads out of 2-6 p.m. summer weekdays
- Compare competitive supply offers for the generation component
Energy consultant / aggregator
Plan for customer-mediated Green Button access; there is no Connect My Data or official API.
Choptank offers Green Button DMD only, so workflows depend on the member downloading and sharing XML.
- Have the client download up to 14 months of Green Button XML
- Parse ESPI XML for interval and demand analysis
- For automation, evaluate the unofficial NISC SmartHub API (unsupported)
Historical Rate Trends
Choptank's tariff is updated periodically through Maryland PSC filings; delivery charges change in rate proceedings and supply (SOS) charges adjust through the Purchased Power Cost Adjustment. Recent activity includes irrigation (FI) rate changes and a March 1, 2026 consolidated tariff.
December 1, 2023
Updated commercial schedules (C, C-D energy delivery) effective with December 2023 billings.
n/aMarch 1, 2026
Consolidated tariff and terms-and-conditions revision effective March 1, 2026.
n/aOverall trend: Periodic delivery-rate adjustments plus PCA-driven supply changes; recent tariff revisions to commercial demand and irrigation schedules.
Next expected change: Tied to future Maryland PSC filings and PCA updates; check the Choptank rates page for the current tariff.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Choptank C&I members have two main levers: managing the monthly 15-minute peak demand that drives demand charges, and choosing the best supply option (SOS vs. a competitive supplier) for the generation/transmission component. Green Button interval data supports both.
Peak demand management
For: C-D, S, M, GT, P (demand-metered)
Shift or stagger loads to cut the monthly 15-minute peak; on Schedules S/M every kW saved avoids ~$4.20 delivery + $2.85 SOS transmission demand charge.
Time-of-use load shifting
For: Schedule GT / PT members
On GT/PT, shift load out of the summer weekday 2-6 p.m. on-peak window to avoid on-peak demand charges of $7.01-7.29/kW.
Supplier shopping
For: All C&I (Maryland Customer Choice)
Compare Standard Offer Service supply charges against competitive Maryland retail suppliers for the generation/transmission portion of the bill.
Power factor correction
For: Industrial loads with motors
Maintain power factor above 90% to avoid RKVAHr/kvar charges on Schedules S and M.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc. interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
As a Maryland utility, Choptank Electric participates in retail supply choice. C&I members can keep Standard Offer Service (SOS) supply from the cooperative or contract with a licensed competitive retail electricity supplier for the generation/transmission (supply) portion of the bill. Choptank continues to own the meter, deliver electricity, and bill regulated delivery charges either way.
How to Compare Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc. Suppliers
- 01Decide whether to keep SOS supply or contract a competitive supplier
- 02Compare licensed Maryland retail suppliers and their offers
- 03Confirm the supplier is registered with Choptank's Customer Choice program
- 04Sign a supply contract; the supplier enrolls you via EDI (814)
- 05Continue receiving delivery service and billing from Choptank
Contract Terms for Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc. Supply Agreements
- Fixed vs. variable supply pricing and contract length
- Whether the rate covers generation and transmission supply only (delivery stays with Choptank)
- Early-termination fees and renewal/rollover terms
- Standard Offer Service remains the fallback if no supplier is chosen
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc. Rates
- Variable-rate offers can spike; confirm the price structure
- Compare against the cooperative's SOS energy and transmission charges
- Delivery charges (consumer charge, demand, energy delivery) are unaffected by shopping
- Watch for automatic renewal at higher variable rates
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a C&I member get 15-minute interval data from Choptank Electric?▾
Use Green Button Download My Data in SmartHub: log in, open My Usage / Usage Management, click Green Button Download My Data, choose a date range (up to 14 months), and download the ESPI XML ZIP. SmartHub's Usage Explorer also shows hourly/daily usage interactively. A reverse-engineered NISC SmartHub API can pull the same 15-minute data programmatically, but it is unofficial and unsupported.
Can my energy consultant access Choptank data directly?▾
There is no Green Button Connect My Data or official third-party API, so access is customer-mediated. The member downloads Green Button XML or bill PDFs from SmartHub and shares them with the consultant, who parses the ESPI data. For custom needs, email rates@choptankelectric.coop with written authorization.
Which rate schedule applies to a commercial or industrial facility?▾
Single-phase commercial loads of 50 KVA and less take Schedule C / C-D (new members go on C-D, which adds a demand charge). Three-phase or loads over 50 kW take General Service - Small (Schedule S); loads at or above 100 kW move to General Service - Medium (Schedule M). Time-of-use (GT) and Primary service (P, PT) schedules are available for larger or primary-voltage loads.
Can a C&I member shop for a competitive electricity supplier?▾
Yes. Maryland has retail supply choice. Through Choptank's Customer Choice program a member can buy generation/transmission supply from a competitive retail supplier while Choptank continues to deliver power and bill the regulated delivery charges. Members who do not shop receive Standard Offer Service (SOS) from the cooperative.
What drives demand charges on Choptank's C&I schedules?▾
Demand-metered schedules (C-D, S, M, GT, P) bill the maximum kilowatt demand over any 15 consecutive minutes during the month. On Schedule S, for example, the distribution demand charge is $4.20/kW plus an SOS transmission demand charge of $2.85/kW. Reducing the monthly 15-minute peak directly lowers these charges.
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