First Electric Cooperative Corporation Rate Selection Guide
First Electric Cooperative Corporation is Arkansas's first electric cooperative (founded 1937), a member-owned nonprofit serving roughly 104,000 accounts across 18 central and southeast Arkansas counties. As a NISC SmartHub utility, First Electric supports Green Button Download and Connect My Data, plus reverse-engineered SmartHub API access to 15-minute interval data; rates are regulated by the Arkansas Public Service Commission.
First Electric Cooperative Corporation Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate 2 - Three Phase ≤50 kVA | Commercial | $45.00/mo + ~$0.1359/kWh (seasonal) | Small three-phase services 50 kVA or less |
| Rate 4 - GS 51-150 kVA | Commercial | $45.00/mo + $12.36-$15.47/kW + $0.062511/kWh | Mid-sized commercial, 51-150 kVA |
| Rate 13 - Large GS >150 kVA | Industrial | $95.00/mo + $14.01-$16.35/kW + $0.064207/kWh | Large facilities over 150 kVA |
| Rate 5 - Ag Water Pumping | Agricultural | $53.00/mo + $8.50/kW demand + seasonal energy | Irrigation / agricultural pumping |
Market Overview
First Electric is a member-owned, nonprofit distribution cooperative regulated by the Arkansas Public Service Commission. Arkansas has no retail electric choice, so C&I members take service under APSC-approved cooperative rate schedules; wholesale power is supplied via Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the First Electric Cooperative Corporation Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
First Electric's Condensed Rate Schedule (updated April 2025) is set and approved by the Arkansas Public Service Commission. Commercial and industrial members are billed under demand-based schedules with seasonal rates (Summer June-October, Winter November-May). Monthly Cost of Energy and Cost of Debt adjustments are applied on top of base rates.
Effective: April 1, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate 2 - Three Phase, 50 kVA or Less | commercial | Small three-phase commercial services of 50 kVA or less. | Service availability $45.00/month; minimum bill $55.00. Summer: all kWh $0.135897. Winter: 0-500 kWh $0.135897, excess $0.120314. | — |
| Rate 4 - General Service 51-150 kVA | commercial | General service commercial customers with 51-150 kVA. | Service availability $45.00/month; demand: Summer $15.47/kW, Winter $12.36/kW; energy $0.062511/kWh. | — |
| Rate 13 - Large General Service Over 150 kVA | industrial | Large general service / industrial customers over 150 kVA. | Service availability $95.00/month; demand: Summer $16.35/kW, Winter $14.01/kW; energy $0.064207/kWh. | — |
| Rate 5 - Agricultural Water Pumping | agricultural | Agricultural water pumping loads with load-management option. | Service availability $53.00/month; Summer (Jul-Oct) minimum $15.00/kW, energy $0.202831/kWh (0-342 kWh/kW) and $0.149674 excess, demand $8.50/kW, 5.0-hr load-management credit -$0.0676; Winter all kWh $0.19674. | — |
| Rate 12 - Athletic Field Lighting | commercial | Athletic field lighting service. | Service availability $38.00/month; all kW $1.81; all kWh $0.078477. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-sized commercial facility (51-150 kVA)
Most mid-sized First Electric businesses fall on Rate 4, which is demand-billed with seasonal rates.
With summer demand at $15.47/kW vs $12.36/kW in winter, summer peak management is the highest-leverage savings opportunity. Energy is a flat $0.062511/kWh.
- Download SmartHub Green Button data to find summer peaks
- Stagger equipment to flatten coincident demand
- Track Cost of Energy / Cost of Debt adjustments on bills
Large industrial facility (over 150 kVA)
Large loads take Rate 13, the cooperative's large general service schedule.
Demand charges ($14.01-$16.35/kW) dominate; energy is $0.064207/kWh. Summer peak shaving and continuous interval monitoring deliver the largest savings.
- Use Green Button or the SmartHub API for ongoing 15-minute monitoring
- Implement peak-shaving / load-shifting controls in summer
- Authorize a consultant via Connect My Data for automated analysis
Agricultural / irrigation operation
Irrigation pumping loads take Rate 5 with a seasonal structure and a load-management option.
Summer energy is tiered and demand is $8.50/kW; enrolling the 5.0-hour load-management switch earns a -$0.0676/kWh credit.
- Enroll the load-management switch for the per-kWh credit
- Schedule pumping to off-peak hours where possible
- Monitor summer (Jul-Oct) usage tiers
Historical Rate Trends
First Electric's base rates are set through APSC-approved tariffs; the current Condensed Rate Schedule was updated April 2025. Monthly bill variability comes primarily from the Cost of Energy and Cost of Debt adjustments applied on top of base rates.
April 1, 2025
Condensed Rate Schedule updated and approved by the Arkansas Public Service Commission.
n/aOverall trend: Base rates updated annually via APSC filings; monthly cost adjustments fluctuate.
Next expected change: Next scheduled update expected with the cooperative's annual APSC tariff filing (anticipated 2026).
Cost Optimization Strategies
Commercial and industrial members can reduce First Electric bills by managing summer peak demand, leveraging interval data from SmartHub, and using efficiency and load-management programs.
Summer Peak Demand Management
For: Rate 4 (51-150 kVA) and Rate 13 (>150 kVA)
Demand charges are higher in summer ($15.47-$16.35/kW vs $12.36-$14.01/kW winter). Shaving summer peaks directly cuts the demand component.
Interval Data Analysis
For: All demand-billed C&I members
Use SmartHub Green Button (15-minute) data to pinpoint demand peaks and verify the impact of efficiency or scheduling changes.
Load Management (Agricultural)
For: Rate 5 agricultural water pumping
Agricultural pumping members on Rate 5 can enroll a load-management switch for a per-kWh credit (-$0.0676).
Energy Efficiency Check-Up
For: All business members
Use First Electric's energy check-up tools and efficiency resources to identify equipment and operational savings.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download First Electric Cooperative Corporation interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my energy consultant pull my First Electric interval data automatically?▾
Yes. Because First Electric runs NISC SmartHub, it supports Green Button Connect My Data: you authorize an ESPI-compliant application via OAuth 2.0 in SmartHub and it receives ongoing 15-minute/hourly usage in standardized XML. Alternatively, you can download Green Button XML yourself (up to 14 months) and share it.
What interval granularity and history are available?▾
SmartHub supports 15-minute and hourly interval data with up to 14 months of history through Green Button download. Technical users have also documented a reverse-engineered SmartHub API that returns 15-minute data as CSV/JSON.
Does First Electric support EDI for billing data?▾
First Electric runs NISC's iVUE system, which supports ANSI X12 EDI (e.g., 810, 814, 820, 867). EDI specifics are not published; contact Member Services (1-800-489-7405) to request a Trading Partner Agreement and implementation guide.
Which rate schedule applies to my commercial or industrial facility?▾
Three-phase loads of 50 kVA or less typically take Rate 2; General Service 51-150 kVA takes Rate 4 (demand-billed); and Large General Service over 150 kVA takes Rate 13 (demand-billed). Agricultural water pumping uses Rate 5. All are APSC-approved and seasonally differentiated (Summer Jun-Oct / Winter Nov-May).
How does a third party get data without portal access?▾
Submit a member Letter of Authorization (LOA) to Member Services. First Electric verifies it and delivers requested billing/usage data (e.g., 12 months) via email, typically within 2-5 business days.
Automate First Electric Cooperative Corporation Rate Analysis with Nectar
Nectar continuously monitors your First Electric Cooperative Corporation 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