Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) Rate Selection Guide
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) is a member-owned electric cooperative serving about 85,000 customers across nine counties in south-central Tennessee. As a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) distributor, it offers no retail supplier choice and provides billing and daily usage data through a Meridian/SEDC online portal; it does not support Green Button or APIs.
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSA-1 | Small General Service | ~$0.091-$0.098/kWh energy; $36-$50.11 customer charge | Small businesses under 15,000 kWh / 60 kW |
| GSA-2 | Medium General Service (demand) | $0.0795/$0.05465 per kWh; $6.00-$15.25/kW demand (>60 kW); $103 customer | Mid-size commercial over 15,000 kWh |
| GSA-3 | Large General Service / Industrial | $0.05765/kWh + FAC; $16.11-$17.96/kW demand; $875 customer | Large industrial loads up to 5,000 kW |
Market Overview
DREMC is a member-owned cooperative distributing TVA wholesale power in a fully regulated, bundled market. Retail rates are set by the Board of Directors within TVA parameters and structured to be revenue-neutral. Tennessee has no retail electric competition, so C&I members cannot shop for a competitive supplier.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
DREMC publishes a monthly rate schedule on its Energy Rates page. Rates below reflect the verified DREMC March 2026 rate schedule (the most recent published), following the Oct 1, 2025 revenue-neutral 2.5% local adjustment. Energy rates embed a TVA Fuel Adjustment Charge (FAC); commercial accounts are not billed demand unless demand exceeds 60 kW.
Effective: March 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSA-1 Small General Service | commercial | Small commercial accounts, generally under 15,000 kWh/month and at or below 60 kW. | Verified DREMC March 2026 schedule: Customer charge $36.00 (0-500 kWh) / $50.11 (501-15,000 kWh); Energy $0.09808/kWh (0-1,000), $0.09818/kWh (1,001-3,000), $0.09132/kWh (over 3,000); embedded Fuel Adjustment Charge $0.04078/kWh. | — |
| GSA-2 Medium General Service (Demand) | commercial | General-service accounts over 15,000 kWh/month; demand-billed when demand exceeds 60 kW. | Verified DREMC March 2026 schedule: Customer charge $103.00; Demand applies above 60 kW at $6.00/kW (first 20 kW band) and $15.25/kW thereafter; Energy $0.0795/kWh (0-7,500 kWh) and $0.05465/kWh (over 7,500 kWh), inclusive of embedded FAC. | — |
| GSA-3 Large General Service / Industrial | industrial | Large commercial and industrial loads up to 5,000 kW. | Verified DREMC March 2026 schedule: Customer charge $875.00; Demand $16.11/kW (0-1,000 kW) and $17.96/kW (1,001-5,000 kW); Energy $0.05765/kWh plus embedded Fuel Adjustment Charge $0.0244/kWh. | — |
| GSA-2/GSA-3 Time-of-Use Pilot (opt-in) | commercial | GSA-2 and GSA-3 accounts electing the opt-in TOU pilot (approved Oct 2025). | Opt-in time-of-use pilot rewarding load shifted from on-peak to off-peak hours. Specific on/off-peak prices are set in the published TOU rate; contact DREMC Business Programs for current values. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial near or above 60 kW
General-service accounts on GSA-1/GSA-2 where the 60 kW demand threshold is the key cost decision.
Below 60 kW there is no demand charge; above it, GSA-2 demand runs $6.00-$15.25/kW. Managing peak demand around the 60 kW threshold is the largest controllable lever, since only daily usage data is available.
- Track daily usage in the portal and watch for peak-driving days
- Stagger HVAC/equipment to keep demand under 60 kW where feasible
- Confirm GSA-1 vs GSA-2 placement matches actual monthly kWh
Large industrial plant (up to 5,000 kW)
Manufacturing or large institutional loads on GSA-3.
GSA-3 has the lowest energy rate (~$0.05765/kWh + FAC) but demand charges of $16.11-$17.96/kW dominate the bill. Maximizing load factor and reducing coincident peak yields the biggest savings.
- Implement automated peak-demand control
- Use the TOU pilot to shift load off-peak
- Engage Teresa Merlo (931) 680-5882 for complex rate analysis
Small business (under 15,000 kWh / 60 kW)
Small general-service accounts on GSA-1.
GSA-1 has no demand charge; energy runs ~$0.091-$0.098/kWh with declining blocks. Reducing total kWh is the primary lever, and staying under 60 kW avoids demand billing.
- Prioritize lighting and HVAC efficiency to cut kWh
- Use daily energy alerts to catch usage spikes
- Pursue a free TVA energy audit
Energy team / consultant needing data
C&I energy managers or consultants working around DREMC's data limits.
DREMC provides only daily usage with no export or API, so analytics must rely on manual portal pulls or authorized-representative access. Plan for daily-granularity data and manual collection.
- Set up authorized-representative access per account
- Export bill PDFs and record daily usage manually
- Request Green Button / ESPI support to advocate for future automation
Historical Rate Trends
DREMC adjusts retail rates infrequently and ties energy pricing to TVA wholesale and Fuel Adjustment Charge changes. The October 1, 2025 adjustment was only the third local rate change since 2018, designed to be revenue-neutral.
October 1, 2025
Revenue-neutral 2.5% local rate adjustment (third since 2018); residential customer access charge raised $2/month with offsetting energy-rate reduction. Average residential bill estimated +$4.17/month before FAC, but actual average bill fell ~$0.59 due to lower TVA fuel costs and the move to Transition rates.
+2.5%Overall trend: Stable base rates with TVA-driven fuel-cost fluctuations; rate schedule republished monthly to reflect FAC and seasonal (Transition/Winter/Summer) rates.
Next expected change: No specific date announced; monitored against TVA wholesale changes. Most recent published schedule is March 2026.
Cost Optimization Strategies
With no supplier choice and only daily usage data, C&I cost optimization at DREMC centers on rate-schedule fit, keeping demand below or managing the 60 kW threshold, load shifting (including the TOU pilot), and TVA efficiency incentives.
Manage the 60 kW demand threshold
For: GSA-1 / GSA-2 commercial accounts near 60 kW
Commercial accounts avoid demand charges entirely below 60 kW. Accounts hovering near the threshold can flatten peaks to stay under it or, if consistently above, ensure they are on the right schedule.
Demand (kW) management on GSA-3
For: GSA-3 industrial accounts
GSA-3 demand charges reach $16.11-$17.96/kW. Staggering large loads and controlling coincident peak reduces billed demand.
Time-of-use pilot enrollment
For: GSA-2, GSA-3 accounts
GSA-2/GSA-3 accounts can opt into the 2025 TOU pilot and shift discretionary load to off-peak hours for lower pricing.
TVA Comprehensive Services Program
For: All C&I members
Use free TVA-partnered energy audits and power-quality evaluations to fund efficiency upgrades that cut kWh and demand.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a commercial customer or consultant get interval data from DREMC?▾
Only daily usage is available, and only as a portal view — there is no 15-minute or 30-minute interval data and no machine-readable export (XML, CSV, or JSON). Consultants can be added as authorized representatives to view data manually; for custom reporting, contact the Business Programs Specialist at (931) 680-5882.
Does DREMC support Green Button or an API?▾
No. DREMC does not support Green Button Download or Connect My Data, is not in the Green Button Alliance directory, and offers no public API or developer portal. Automated data access requires a manual authorized-representative workflow per account.
When do commercial accounts incur a demand charge?▾
Per DREMC's commercial bill explanation, commercial members are not billed a demand charge unless metered demand exceeds 60 kW in the billing month. The demand charge is based on the highest 30-minute average kW recorded during the period.
Can C&I members in DREMC's territory choose a competitive electricity supplier?▾
No. As a TVA distributor cooperative in Tennessee, DREMC is the sole provider; there is no retail choice. C&I members optimize cost through rate-schedule fit, demand management, and TVA efficiency programs rather than supplier shopping.
What are the commercial and industrial rate schedules?▾
GSA-1 serves small general-service accounts (under ~15,000 kWh), GSA-2 serves larger general-service/demand accounts (over 15,000 kWh, demand-billed above 60 kW), and GSA-3 serves large commercial/industrial loads up to 5,000 kW. Energy rates include an embedded TVA Fuel Adjustment Charge. Large users over 1,000 kW should contact DREMC directly.
How recent are DREMC's rates?▾
DREMC adjusted retail rates effective October 1, 2025 (a 2.5% local adjustment, only the third change since 2018), and publishes an updated rate schedule (most recent: March 2026). Rates are designed to be revenue-neutral, offsetting higher customer charges with energy-rate reductions.
Automate Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) Rate Analysis with Nectar
Nectar continuously monitors your Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) 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