Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation Rate Selection Guide
Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (CEMC) is the third-largest distribution cooperative in Tennessee, serving roughly 112,000 members across five counties. A TVA distributor, CEMC runs its billing and usage on the NISC SmartHub platform, which offers Green Button downloads and a REST API alongside the standard member portal and mobile app.
Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule GSA (50-1,000 kW) | Medium C&I | Demand $12.28/kW over 50 kW; energy $0.08922/$0.04724/kWh + TVA fuel (2026) | Mid-size commercial and light industrial accounts |
| Schedule GSA (1,000-5,000 kW) | Large Industrial | Demand $14.10-$16.75/kW; energy $0.04703/kWh + TVA fuel $0.02367 (2026) | Large industrial sites between 1 MW and 5 MW |
| Schedule TOU MSB | Large Manufacturing | On-peak demand $10.19/kW; on-peak energy $0.05091/kWh + TVA fuel $0.02300 (2026) | Manufacturers with contract demand above 5 MW |
Market Overview
CEMC is a not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative that buys all of its wholesale power from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) under a long-term power supply contract. Retail rates are derived from the TVA wholesale schedule plus CEMC's local distribution adder and a monthly TVA Fuel Cost Adjustment. There is no retail supplier choice in the TVA service territory; members cannot shop for a competitive electricity supplier.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
CEMC's commercial and industrial rates flow from the TVA wholesale rate structure and are published monthly with the TVA Fuel Cost Adjustment. The dollar figures below are verified from CEMC's adopted rate schedule effective January 1, 2026 (winter period). General Power (Schedule GSA) tiers cover small-to-large C&I up to 5,000 kW; Time-of-Use schedules (TOU GSB/GSC/GSD and Manufacturing MSB/MSC/MSD) cover larger contract demands.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule GSA - General Power (<= 50 kW) | commercial | Small commercial; demand at or below 50 kW. | 2026 verified (winter): Base charge $40.50/mo (<=500 kWh) or $65.00/mo (>500 kWh); Demand $3.00/kW; Energy $0.09073/kWh + TVA fuel $0.02405/kWh. | — |
| Schedule GSA - General Power (50-1,000 kW) | commercial | Medium commercial/industrial; demand >50 kW up to 1,000 kW (or <50 kW with >15,000 kWh). | 2026 verified (winter): Base charge $190.00/mo; Demand first 50 kW $3.00/kW, over 50 kW $12.28/kW; Energy first 15,000 kWh $0.08922/kWh then $0.04724/kWh + TVA fuel $0.02405/$0.02367/kWh. | — |
| Schedule GSA - General Power (1,000-5,000 kW) | industrial | Large industrial; contract or highest demand >1,000 kW up to 5,000 kW. | 2026 verified (winter): Base charge $600.00/mo; Demand first 1,000 kW $14.10/kW, over 1,000 kW $16.75/kW (plus $16.75/kW on demand exceeding the higher of 2,500 kW or contract demand); Energy $0.04703/kWh + TVA fuel $0.02367/kWh. | — |
| Schedule TOU GSB - Time-of-Use General Service | industrial | Contract demand >5,000 kW up to 15,000 kW; SIC not 2000-3999. | 2026 verified: Base $1,500/mo + Admin $350/mo; On-peak demand $10.89/kW; Max demand $6.58/kW; Energy on-peak $0.05904/kWh, off-peak tiered from $0.04657/kWh + TVA fuel $0.02288/kWh. | — |
| Schedule TOU MSB - Time-of-Use Manufacturing Service | industrial | Contract demand >5,000 kW up to 15,000 kW; SIC 2000-3999 (manufacturing). | 2026 verified: Base $1,500/mo + Admin $350/mo; On-peak demand $10.19/kW; Max demand $3.83/kW; Energy on-peak $0.05091/kWh, off-peak tiered from $0.03841/kWh + TVA fuel $0.02300/kWh. | — |
| Schedule TDGSA - Time-Differentiated Hours-Use of Demand | industrial | Higher of on/off-peak demand >1,000 kW up to 5,000 kW. | 2026 verified: Base $1,500/mo + Admin $350/mo; On-peak demand $10.99/kW; Max demand $6.60/kW; Energy on-peak $0.07160/kWh, off-peak tiered from $0.05484/kWh + TVA fuel $0.02363/kWh. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large industrial site, 1-5 MW
Schedule GSA's top tier applies, where demand charges dominate the bill.
Demand is $14.10/kW on the first 1,000 kW and $16.75/kW above it, plus a $16.75/kW penalty for exceeding contract/2,500 kW, so demand control is the top lever.
- Hold demand near contract level to avoid the $16.75/kW penalty
- Use storage/peak shaving against the $16.75/kW tier
- Pull SmartHub 15-minute data to find peak drivers
Manufacturer with contract demand above 5 MW
Manufacturing accounts (SIC 2000-3999) get the TOU MS schedules with lower energy rates.
On-peak demand is $10.19/kW and on-peak energy $0.05091/kWh — below the general TOU GS rates — so confirming MS eligibility and shifting load off-peak maximizes savings.
- Verify SIC 2000-3999 classification for the MS rate
- Shift production load to off-peak TVA hours
- Keep billing demand at or below contract demand
Mid-size commercial (50-1,000 kW)
Schedule GSA medium tier balances base, demand, and tiered energy charges.
Demand above 50 kW is billed at $12.28/kW and the first 15,000 kWh carries a higher energy rate ($0.08922) than additional kWh ($0.04724), so flattening peaks and load factor both help.
- Reduce 15-minute demand peaks to cut the $12.28/kW charge
- Improve load factor to dilute the higher first-block energy rate
- Track usage via SmartHub daily charts
Energy manager / aggregator integrating CEMC data
CEMC offers strong programmatic access via Green Button and the SmartHub API.
15-minute interval data is available through the SmartHub REST API and Green Button (14 months), enabling automated demand and bill analytics with customer authorization.
- Use Green Button Download My Data for quick 14-month pulls
- Request SmartHub API credentials from CEMC for ongoing feeds
- Authorize certified apps via Green Button Connect My Data (OAuth)
Historical Rate Trends
CEMC reissues its full rate schedule monthly to reflect the TVA Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA), so the effective per-kWh cost moves up and down with TVA wholesale fuel costs while base/demand structure stays stable across the year.
January 1, 2025
CEMC published its 2025 rate schedule (FCA192) reflecting the January 2025 TVA fuel adjustment.
TVA FCA-drivenJanuary 1, 2026
CEMC published its January 1, 2026 winter rate schedule (FCA204); GSA 1,000-5,000 kW energy $0.04703/kWh + TVA fuel $0.02367.
TVA FCA-drivenOverall trend: Energy cost fluctuates monthly with the TVA fuel adjustment; underlying demand/base structure stable.
Next expected change: Next monthly TVA Fuel Cost Adjustment update (CEMC posts a new FCA-numbered rate sheet each month).
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because CEMC rates inherit TVA's demand-heavy, time-of-use structure, the best C&I savings come from demand management, off-peak load shifting on TOU schedules, and matching SIC classification to the correct (lower-cost manufacturing) schedule.
Manage billing demand (GSA accounts)
For: Schedule GSA C&I
GSA demand charges jump to $12.28/kW above 50 kW and $16.75/kW above 1,000 kW. Peak shaving via load scheduling or storage directly cuts the dominant charge.
Shift load off TVA on-peak (TOU/MS schedules)
For: TOU GSB/GSC/GSD, MSB/MSC/MSD
On large TOU schedules on-peak demand is $10.19-$10.99/kW and on-peak energy far exceeds off-peak; shifting to off-peak hours reduces both.
Confirm correct schedule / SIC classification
For: Manufacturing >5,000 kW
Manufacturers (SIC 2000-3999) qualify for MS schedules with lower energy rates than the general TOU schedules. Verify classification to avoid overpaying.
Use SmartHub API/Green Button for analytics
For: All C&I members
Pull 15-minute interval data via the SmartHub API or Green Button to model demand peaks, verify bills, and target efficiency or storage investments.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
What rate applies to a commercial or industrial CEMC account?▾
It depends on demand. Schedule GSA (General Power) covers accounts up to 5,000 kW in tiers: <=50 kW, 50-1,000 kW, and 1,000-5,000 kW. Accounts above 5,000 kW move to time-of-use schedules — TOU GSB/GSC/GSD for general service and MSB/MSC/MSD for manufacturing (SIC 2000-3999). All rates include a monthly TVA Fuel Cost Adjustment.
How much are CEMC's demand charges for large C&I?▾
For 2026, Schedule GSA bills demand at $3.00/kW (first 50 kW), $12.28/kW (50-1,000 kW), $14.10/kW (first 1,000 kW), and $16.75/kW above 1,000 kW — with an additional $16.75/kW on demand exceeding the higher of 2,500 kW or contract demand. Time-of-use schedules bill on-peak demand at $10.19-$10.99/kW.
Does CEMC support Green Button and an API?▾
Yes. Through the NISC SmartHub platform, CEMC supports Green Button Download My Data (ESPI XML, up to 14 months) and a SmartHub REST API providing 15-minute interval, billing, and account data in JSON. Green Button Connect My Data (OAuth) is available for certified third-party apps.
How does a third party access a member's CEMC data?▾
A member can add an authorized user in SmartHub, authorize a certified Green Button app via OAuth, or the third party can request SmartHub API credentials from CEMC (1-800-987-2362) with customer authorization. Bulk/aggregator access requires a data governance agreement.
Why do CEMC's rates change every month?▾
CEMC is a TVA distributor and applies TVA's monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment, so it reissues its full rate schedule each month (with an FCA number). The base and demand structure stays stable while the per-kWh fuel component moves with TVA wholesale costs.
Can CEMC members choose a competitive electricity supplier?▾
No. CEMC is a TVA distribution cooperative with no retail electric choice. All wholesale power comes from TVA, and members are served only by CEMC at TVA-derived rates.
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