Dixie Electric Membership Corporation (DEMCO) Rate Selection Guide
DEMCO is Louisiana's largest electric distribution cooperative, serving 119,000+ smart meters across seven parishes around Baton Rouge. Member-owned and regulated by the Louisiana Public Service Commission, it provides first-party billing and interval data through the MyDEMCO (NISC SmartHub) portal, with third-party access coordinated through its Key Accounts program for commercial and industrial customers.
Dixie Electric Membership Corporation (DEMCO) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule B (Commercial/Small Power) | commercial | Service charge + tiered energy charge per kWh + PCA-DE (per U-37392 tariff) | Commercial and small-power loads under 40 KVA |
| Schedule LP (Large Power) | industrial | Demand charge per KVA + tiered energy + PCA-DE (per U-37392 tariff) | Industrial / large-power loads 40 KVA and above |
| Schedule LPTU (Large Power TOU) | industrial | Two-part demand/energy + on-peak demand charge per KVA (per U-37392 tariff) | Large loads that can shift off the evening peak |
Market Overview
DEMCO is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative regulated by the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC). Louisiana does not offer retail electric choice for cooperative members, so there is no competitive supplier shopping — rates are set by LPSC-approved tariff (most recently Docket #U-37392, effective January 2026). As a cooperative, DEMCO designs rates to recover only its cost of service, and any margins are returned to members as capital credits.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Dixie Electric Membership Corporation (DEMCO) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
DEMCO's commercial and industrial rates are set in its LPSC-approved tariff and combine a monthly service charge, an energy charge per kWh, and — for large-load accounts — a demand charge per KVA, plus the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA-DE) and any tax adjustment. The LPSC approved updated base rates and rate design under Docket #U-37392, effective January 2026, which slightly increased the fixed customer charge while decreasing certain variable charges. Verified delivery (energy) charges from DEMCO's published 2026 rate information are $0.03985/kWh for the first 1,000 kWh and $0.04635/kWh for additional kWh. Schedule-specific service-charge and demand figures should be confirmed against the official U-37392 tariff book.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule B — Commercial and Small Power Service | commercial | Commercial, small industrial, public facilities, multiple-family residences, and mining with less than 40 KVA of demand. | Monthly service charge plus a tiered energy charge per kWh (declining-block: first 1,000 kWh / next 2,000 kWh / remaining kWh), plus the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA-DE). Exact 2026 service-charge and energy figures are set in the LPSC U-37392 tariff book. | — |
| Schedule LP — Large Power Service | industrial | Members with not less than 40 KVA of capacity used for power and general lighting. | Monthly service charge plus a demand charge per KVA of billing demand plus a tiered energy charge per kWh (per-KVA blocks), plus PCA-DE and a power-factor adjustment. Billing KVA is set on the summer (Jun-Sep) peak. Exact 2026 figures are in the U-37392 tariff book. | — |
| Schedule LPTU — Large Power Time-of-Use Service | industrial | Large-power members (40 KVA+) opting for time-of-use pricing. | Two-part rate: a demand/energy component (lesser of Rate A KVA-demand or Rate B energy) plus a per-KVA on-peak demand charge for evening peak hours (and winter morning peak). Exact 2026 figures are in the U-37392 tariff book. | — |
| Restricted Service Rate | industrial | Very large loads (minimum 5,000 kW) that contract to curtail during summer restricted hours (1 p.m.-9 p.m., May-Sep). | Demand charge per kW of billing demand plus a low energy charge per kWh plus the Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA-DE), with billing demand based on the curtailable-period peak. | — |
| Municipal Pumping Service — Schedule MP | commercial | Municipalities/government units operating storm drainage, sewer pumping, or water-works systems. | Monthly service charge plus a tiered energy charge per kWh (first 50,000 / next 100,000 / additional kWh) plus PCA-DE. Exact 2026 figures are in the U-37392 tariff book. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial facility (under 40 KVA)
Energy-driven commercial service with a declining-block energy charge and no demand charge.
Schedule B covers commercial and small-power loads under 40 KVA; bills are mainly energy plus the fixed service charge.
- Export hourly usage CSV to benchmark consumption
- Confirm the account is correctly classed under Schedule B
- Watch the U-37392 rate-design impact on fixed vs variable charges
Industrial / large-power load (40 KVA+)
Demand-driven large-power service with a per-KVA demand charge and summer-peak ratchet.
Loads of 40 KVA or more take service under Schedule LP (or LPTU for time-of-use); demand charges keyed to the summer peak dominate cost.
- Shave the Jun-Sep 15-minute peak to lower the ratcheted demand charge
- Correct power factor to above 92% to avoid demand penalties
- Model LPTU vs LP using interval data before switching
Very large curtailable load (5,000 kW+)
Restricted service for very large loads willing to curtail during summer restricted hours.
Loads of at least 5,000 kW that contract not to operate during the 1-9 p.m. summer restricted period can access lower energy pricing under the Restricted Service Rate.
- Assess whether operations can curtail 1-9 p.m. May-Sep
- Model billing-demand exposure given the curtailable-period peak
- Engage the Key Accounts team for contract terms
Municipal / government water or pumping facility
Municipal pumping service for storm drainage, sewer, or water-works operations.
Government units operating pumping plants use Schedule MP, with a tiered energy charge scaled to large monthly consumption.
- Confirm Schedule MP eligibility for the facility type
- Use interval data to verify load profiles
- Coordinate enhanced data access through Key Accounts
Historical Rate Trends
The LPSC approved updated DEMCO base rates, tariffs, and rate design under Docket #U-37392, effective January 2026, following a Cost-of-Service Study. The redesign slightly increased the fixed portion of the bill while decreasing certain variable charges. The prior rate framework was set under Order U-35359 (which also approved DEMCO's AMI deployment). Monthly, bills also move with the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA-DE).
January 1, 2026
LPSC Docket #U-37392 updated base rates, tariffs, and rate design — fixed customer charge increased slightly while certain variable charges decreased. Verified residential delivery charges set at $0.03985/kWh (first 1,000 kWh) and $0.04635/kWh (additional).
n/aDecember 1, 2020
LPSC Order U-35359 approved DEMCO's Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) upgrade and the prior rate-schedule framework.
n/aOverall trend: Rate-design shift toward a higher fixed charge and lower variable charges; cost-of-service driven, with margins returned to members as capital credits.
Next expected change: Ongoing monthly PCA-DE adjustments; next base-rate action subject to a future LPSC cost-of-service filing.
Cost Optimization Strategies
For DEMCO large-power (Schedule LP/LPTU) members, demand charges keyed to the summer (Jun-Sep) peak — and carried forward via an 80% ratchet — are the biggest cost lever. Smaller commercial members on Schedule B are more energy-driven. Because DEMCO is a regulated cooperative with no retail choice, optimization centers on demand management, schedule selection, and power-factor correction rather than supplier shopping.
Manage summer peak demand
For: Schedule LP / LPTU (40 KVA+) members
Schedule LP billing demand is set on the Jun-Sep 15-minute peak and ratcheted at 80% into other months. Shaving the summer peak through load scheduling, staging, or storage lowers demand charges all year.
Correct power factor
For: LP members with 40 kW+ / LPTU with 100 kW+ measured demand
DEMCO applies a power-factor adjustment that adds to billed demand when average power factor falls below 92%. Capacitor banks or PF correction reduce the demand penalty.
Evaluate Schedule LPTU vs LP
For: Flexible large-power loads
Members able to shift load off the 5-8 p.m. evening peak (and winter morning peak) may benefit from time-of-use under Schedule LPTU. Use interval data to model the comparison.
Use interval data for benchmarking
For: All C&I members
Export hourly CSV (14 months) or 15-minute API data to identify peak drivers, baseload creep, and demand-response opportunities.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Dixie Electric Membership Corporation (DEMCO) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a C&I member get interval data from DEMCO?▾
Members can view daily usage in the MyDEMCO portal and export hourly interval data as CSV (up to 14 months) from the My Usage section. Technical users can retrieve 15-minute interval data through the underlying NISC SmartHub API using MyDEMCO credentials, though that path is unofficial and unsupported.
Can an energy consultant access our DEMCO data on our behalf?▾
Yes, but not through an automated portal. For commercial and industrial accounts, third-party access is coordinated through DEMCO's Key Accounts program (KeyAccounts@DEMCO.org). You provide written authorization, and DEMCO arranges data delivery via CSV, email, or portal access on a case-by-case basis.
Does DEMCO have a public API or Green Button Connect?▾
No. DEMCO does not publish official API documentation, a developer portal, or a Green Button Connect My Data program. The NISC SmartHub platform supports Green Button Download My Data (ESPI/XML) for members, and a reverse-engineered secured endpoint exists for 15-minute data, but neither is officially supported for aggregators.
Does DEMCO support EDI for commercial billing?▾
No EDI program is documented or publicly available for DEMCO. Organizations needing EDI should contact DEMCO Business Development or Key Accounts to inquire; alternative exchange (scheduled CSV via email or SFTP) may be arranged for large portfolios.
How are DEMCO commercial and industrial rates structured?▾
DEMCO's LPSC-approved tariff includes Schedule B (Commercial and Small Power, under 40 KVA), Schedule LP (Large Power, 40 KVA and above, with a demand charge per KVA), and Schedule LPTU (Large Power Time-of-Use). Bills combine a monthly service charge, an energy charge per kWh (tiered for some schedules), a demand charge for large-load accounts, plus the Power Cost Adjustment. Rates updated under LPSC Docket #U-37392, effective January 2026 — see the tariff book for exact figures.
Automate Dixie Electric Membership Corporation (DEMCO) Rate Analysis with Nectar
Nectar continuously monitors your Dixie Electric Membership Corporation (DEMCO) rate options and alerts you when a better schedule is available. Save 10-30% on energy costs.
Nectar for Energy & Sustainability Teams
Managing utility costs for commercial or industrial buildings? Nectar offers a free rate analysis — we'll review your current rate schedules and identify where switching tariffs or shifting load can save 10-30%.
Get a Free Rate AnalysisNectar for Energy Brokers & Consultants
Advising clients on rate optimization? Nectar works with energy consultants who need reliable interval data and automated rate comparison tools.
Partner with Us