Coast Electric Power Association Rate Selection Guide
Coast Electric Power Association is a member-owned electric cooperative serving roughly 90,000 accounts in coastal Mississippi. AMI smart meters (deployed via the SMEPA collaborative) support 15-minute interval data, with billing and usage accessible through the online portal, CE on the Go app, and the SMEPA third-party access portal.
Coast Electric Power Association Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 2Q - Small Commercial | commercial | 8.000 cents/kWh + $1.57/kW demand | Small businesses under 25 kW demand |
| Schedule 4S - Commercial | commercial | 6.800-13.950 cents/kWh tiered + $1.67/kW demand | Commercial sites over 25 kW with steady load |
| Schedule 54I - Commercial TOU | commercial | 15.560 cents on-peak / 4.900 off-peak + $1.27/kW | Commercial loads that can shift off the 3-6 p.m. peak |
| Schedule 12I - Industrial | industrial | 5.335 cents/kWh + $15.16/kW + $1,000/mo facilities | Industrial loads at or above 1,000 kW |
| Schedule 22E - Large Power | industrial | 50.98 mills/kWh + unbundled demand + $6,000/mo | Large industrial sites over 2,500 kW |
Market Overview
Coast Electric is a member-owned, non-profit cooperative. Mississippi does not offer retail electric choice to cooperative members, so commercial and industrial customers cannot select a competitive supplier. Rates are set by the cooperative's board, and wholesale power is supplied through South Mississippi Electric / Cooperative Energy.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Coast Electric Power Association Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Coast Electric C&I rates are verified from the official rate schedule book effective in 2024. Schedule 4S (Commercial, >25 kW) uses a tiered energy charge plus $1.67/kW demand; Schedules 11G and 12I (Industrial, >=1,000 kW) carry monthly facilities charges over $1,000 plus demand and energy; Schedule 22E (Large Power, >2,500 kW) unbundles substation, transmission, and production demand. All rates are subject to the Power Cost Adjustment, Tax Expense Adjustment, and Mississippi sales tax.
Effective: January 1, 2024 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 2Q - Small Commercial | commercial | Commercial/industrial service not exceeding 25 kW billing demand (minimum 5 kW). | $1.55/day service charge + 8.000 cents/kWh for all kWh + $1.57/kW demand charge. Subject to PCA, TEA, and sales tax. | — |
| Schedule 4S - Commercial | commercial | Non-residential service with billing demand greater than 25 kW. | $1.95/day service charge + tiered energy (13.950 cents/kWh up to 75 hours x demand; 7.970 cents/kWh from 75-300 hours; 6.800 cents/kWh above 300 hours) + $1.67/kW demand. Demand held at >=75% of max in prior 11 months. | — |
| Schedule 54I - Commercial Time of Use | commercial | Commercial customers electing time-of-use service. | $1.85/day service charge + 15.560 cents/kWh on-peak, 4.900 cents/kWh off-peak + $1.27/kW demand. Summer peak 3-6 p.m. weekdays; winter peak 6-8 a.m. | — |
| Schedule 11G - Industrial Service (Time of Use) | industrial | Single industrial customer requiring at least 1,000 kW, under contract. | $1,085.00/mo facilities charge + $18.02/kW demand + 5.218 cents/kWh + power factor correction ($0.25/KVAR over 48%). Three-phase service. | — |
| Schedule 12I - Industrial Service | industrial | Single industrial customer requiring at least 1,000 kW, under contract. | $1,000.00/mo facilities charge + $15.16/kW demand + 5.335 cents/kWh + power factor correction (25 cents/KVAR over 48%). Demand floor: greater of 1,000 kW, contract, or 75% of prior 11-month max. | — |
| Schedule 22E - Large Power Service | industrial | Single customer with billing demand greater than 2,500 kW, under contract. | $6,000.00/mo customer charge + $0.45/kW substation demand + $2.17/kW transmission demand (coincident peak) + $12.72/kW production demand (coincident peak) + 50.98 mills/kWh energy. Power factor billed at 75 cents/KVAR over 33%. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial facility over 25 kW
Sites above 25 kW demand fall on Schedule 4S, where a 75% demand ratchet and tiered energy charge reward steady, high load factor operation.
The declining-block energy charge (down to 6.800 cents/kWh) and the 75% ratchet mean flattening demand peaks lowers both energy and demand cost.
- Monitor 15-minute demand to avoid setting a high ratchet base
- Pursue a free commercial energy audit
- Evaluate Schedule 54I TOU if load can shift off the 3-6 p.m. peak
Commercial load that can shift off-peak
Operations able to move discretionary load out of peak windows benefit from Schedule 54I TOU pricing.
On-peak energy is 15.560 cents/kWh versus 4.900 off-peak; the summer peak is only 3-6 p.m. weekdays, a narrow window to avoid.
- Schedule batch/HVAC pre-cooling outside 3-6 p.m. in summer
- Avoid the 6-8 a.m. winter peak
- Use interval data to validate the load-shift before enrolling
Industrial plant at or above 1,000 kW
Plants requiring at least 1,000 kW contract under Schedule 11G (TOU) or 12I, which add large facilities charges and power factor penalties.
Demand charges of $15.16-$18.02/kW dominate the bill; power factor below ~90% triggers per-KVAR penalties.
- Install capacitor banks to keep KVAR under 48% of demand
- Evaluate the $0.35/kW primary-voltage discount
- Manage the 1,000 kW / 75% prior-11-month demand floor
Large industrial site over 2,500 kW
Very large loads on Schedule 22E pay unbundled substation, transmission, and production demand charges tied to the power supplier's coincident peak.
Transmission ($2.17/kW) and production ($12.72/kW) demand are billed on the coincident peak, so reducing usage during the supplier's system peak yields the largest savings.
- Track Cooperative Energy's coincident system peak and curtail during it
- Keep power factor above 95% to avoid the 75 cents/KVAR charge
- Negotiate contract demand carefully given the 40%/70% floors
Historical Rate Trends
Coast Electric most recently refiled its rate schedule book effective November 1, 2024, with most C&I energy and demand charges carrying effective dates of January 1, 2024. Industrial schedules 11G/12I and large power 22E have been in their current structure since July 1, 2015. Month-to-month bills also move with the Power Cost Adjustment, which resets twice yearly (summer April-October, winter November-March).
January 1, 2024
Current commercial energy and demand charges (Schedules 2Q, 4S, 54I) took effect.
n/aNovember 1, 2024
Rate schedule book republished as effective 11/1/24 consolidating current schedules.
n/aOverall trend: Stable base rates with semiannual Power Cost Adjustment variability; wholesale power costs from Cooperative Energy are the primary driver of bill changes.
Next expected change: No specific filed C&I rate change announced; monitor the rate schedule book and the semiannual Power Cost Adjustment.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because Coast Electric C&I bills are dominated by demand and power factor, the biggest savings come from controlling 15-minute peaks, improving power factor, and shifting load off peak windows on TOU schedules.
Manage the 15-minute demand peak
For: Schedule 4S commercial and industrial 11G/12I/22E
Billing demand is the highest average kW over any 15 consecutive minutes. Stagger large equipment starts and use peak-shaving controls to lower the monthly demand charge and avoid inflating the Schedule 4S 75% ratchet.
Correct power factor
For: Schedules 11G, 12I, 22E
Industrial schedules penalize KVAR above 48% of demand (33% on Schedule 22E). Installing capacitor banks to raise power factor toward unity avoids the per-KVAR charges.
Shift load on time-of-use schedules
For: Commercial TOU (52I, 54I)
On Schedules 52I/54I, on-peak energy (15.560 cents/kWh) is roughly 3x off-peak (4.8-4.9 cents). Shifting discretionary load out of the 3-6 p.m. summer / 6-8 a.m. winter peaks cuts energy cost.
Take primary-voltage delivery discounts
For: Schedules 11G, 12I
Industrial schedules 11G/12I offer a $0.35/kW discount when the customer owns and maintains the step-down substation. Large sites should evaluate primary-voltage service.
Use a free commercial energy audit
For: All commercial and industrial members
Coast Electric's Commercial Energy Manager provides free facility audits identifying efficiency and demand reduction opportunities specific to your operation.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Coast Electric Power Association interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my energy consultant pull interval data for our Coast Electric accounts?▾
Yes, but not through a utility self-serve API. Coast Electric routes authorized third-party meter data through the SMEPA SME TPA portal (https://mdmrsupport.service-now.com/tpa), or Nectar provides API access to billing and interval data — see docs.nectarclimate.com. Both require a signed customer authorization, and direct requests are typically fulfilled within 5-15 business days.
Does Coast Electric support Green Button or a public API?▾
No. Coast Electric is not a Green Button participating utility and does not publish a developer API. For programmatic access, use the SME TPA portal or Nectar (docs.nectarclimate.com), both of which deliver interval and billing data with customer consent.
Which rate schedule applies to a commercial site over 25 kW of demand?▾
Schedule 4S (Commercial) applies once billing demand exceeds 25 kW. It uses a tiered energy charge based on hours-times-demand (13.950, 7.970, then 6.800 cents/kWh) plus a $1.67/kW demand charge. Smaller sites under 25 kW fall under Schedule 2Q.
What thresholds trigger the industrial and large power rates?▾
Schedules 11G and 12I (Industrial) apply to single customers requiring at least 1,000 kW under contract. Schedule 22E (Large Power Service) applies above 2,500 kW and separates substation, transmission, and production demand charges coincident with the power supplier's peak.
How is demand measured for billing?▾
Billing demand is the maximum average kW over any 15 consecutive minutes during the month. On Schedule 4S it is held at no less than 75% of the maximum demand established in the preceding 11 months (a demand ratchet), which is worth managing on seasonal-peak facilities.
Are there time-of-use options for commercial customers?▾
Yes. Schedule 52I (Small Commercial TOU) and 54I (Commercial TOU) charge 15.560 cents/kWh on-peak versus roughly 4.8-4.9 cents off-peak, with peak windows of 3-6 p.m. weekdays in summer and 6-8 a.m. in winter, making load-shifting valuable.
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