Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) Rate Selection Guide
Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) is a municipal utility serving Knoxville, TN and surrounding counties with electric, gas, water, and wastewater service. A TVA power distributor, KUB offers a fully deployed smart-meter (AMI) network with hourly/daily usage in its online portal, though it has not implemented Green Button, EDI, or a public API.
Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSA-1 | Commercial (small) | $0.15603/kWh + $1.00/kW + $34/mo | Small businesses under 50 kW / 15,000 kWh |
| GSA-2 | Commercial (medium) | $0.19036 then $0.09504/kWh; $18.90/kW over 50 kW; $145/mo | Mid-size facilities 50-1,000 kW |
| GSA-TOU (2B) | Commercial TOU | On-peak $0.23527 / off-peak $0.09825/kWh; $7.84/kW; $163/mo | Loads that can shift to off-peak |
| GSA (>1,000 kW tier) | Large C&I | ~$20.22/kW demand; $0.09381/kWh; $313/mo | Large facilities up to 5,000 kW |
| GSB/GSC/GSD | Industrial | Contract-demand based (see tariff) | Very large/industrial loads >5,000 kW |
Market Overview
Regulated municipal utility and TVA power distributor. No competitive retail supplier choice for electricity. Rates set by the KUB Board; TVA wholesale costs passed through monthly via the Fuel Cost Adjustment.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Verified business electric rates as published on KUB's Business Electric Rates page (as of April 2026) and the GSA tariff sheet (Resolution 1493, effective April 1, 2025). Rates include the TVA-driven Purchased Power/Fuel Cost Adjustment and vary monthly. GSA-1 applies to small loads (<=50 kW and <=15,000 kWh); GSA-2 applies to mid-size loads (>50 kW up to 1,000 kW). Larger loads use GSB/GSC/GSD and manufacturing (MSB/MSC/MSD) schedules; time-of-use options (GSA-TOU, TDGSA) and EV charging (EVC) are also available.
Effective: April 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSA-1 (General Power, small) | commercial | Nonresidential customers with demand <=50 kW and monthly energy <=15,000 kWh. | Customer/basic service charge plus a small per-kW demand charge and a single flat energy charge. | Energy $0.15603/kWh; demand $1.00/kW; basic service $34.00/month (April 2026, incl. FCA)+ $1.00 per kW |
| GSA-2 (General Power, medium) | commercial | Nonresidential customers with demand >50 kW up to 1,000 kW (or <50 kW exceeding 15,000 kWh/month). | Two-block demand charge (first 50 kW low, excess priced per kW) and two-block energy charge (first 15,000 kWh, then lower additional rate); seasonal periods apply. | Energy first 15,000 kWh $0.19036, additional $0.09504/kWh; demand $18.90/kW over 50 kW; basic service $145.00/month (April 2026, incl. FCA)+ $1.00/kW first 50 kW; $18.90/kW above 50 kW |
| GSA-1 TOU (Time-of-Use) | commercial | Small General Power customers electing time-of-use pricing (contract demand <=1,000 kW). | Higher on-peak / lower off-peak energy charges plus a per-kW demand charge; rewards off-peak load shifting. | On-peak $0.25012/kWh; off-peak $0.11310/kWh; demand $2.34/kW; basic service $34.00/month (April 2026)+ $2.34 per kW |
| GSA-2 TOU (2A / 2B) | commercial | Medium General Power customers electing time-of-use pricing. | On-peak/off-peak energy with higher per-kW demand charges; 2B carries a higher demand charge and lower energy rates than 2A. | 2A on-peak $0.26181 / off-peak $0.12479/kWh, demand $5.34/kW, basic $145; 2B on-peak $0.23527 / off-peak $0.09825/kWh, demand $7.84/kW, basic $163 (April 2026)+ $5.34/kW (2A); $7.84/kW (2B) |
| GSB / GSC / GSD (Large General Power) | industrial | Contract demand >5,000 kW (GSB up to 15,000; GSC up to 25,000; GSD above 25,000 kW). Manufacturing variants MSB/MSC/MSD. | Contract-demand based with seasonal first-block/excess demand charges and flat energy charges; large GSA loads >1,000 kW use the GSA tier ($313/month customer charge, ~$20/kW demand, ~$0.094/kWh per the GSA tariff). | See tariff sheets; GSA tier 3 (>1,000 kW): demand ~$20.22/kW summer first block, energy $0.09381/kWh (Res. 1493, eff. 4/1/2025)+ ~$19-21 per kW (seasonal, large GSA tier) |
| TDGSA (Large TOU) | industrial | Time-of-use for contract demand >1,000 kW up to 5,000 kW (manufacturing: TDMSA). | Demand plus on-peak/off-peak energy pricing for large dispatchable loads. | See tariff sheet (TDGSA)+ See tariff |
| EVC (EV Charging Power) | ev | Commercial electric-vehicle charging stations. | Dedicated EV charging rate designed for public/fleet charging loads. | See tariff sheet (EVC)+ See tariff |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial / retail
Single small storefronts and offices under 50 kW and 15,000 kWh/month.
GSA-1's flat energy rate and $1/kW demand charge keep bills simple and low for small loads.
- Confirm you stay under both the 50 kW and 15,000 kWh thresholds
- Enroll in paperless billing for the $1/month discount
Mid-size facility
Schools, mid-size offices, and light industrial loads between 50 and 1,000 kW.
Above 50 kW, the ~$19/kW demand charge dominates, so demand control and possibly TOU pricing matter most.
- Manage coincident peak demand to control the kW charge
- Model GSA-TOU against GSA-2 if load can shift off-peak
Large industrial / manufacturing
Plants and large facilities above 1,000 kW (and >5,000 kW requiring contracts).
Contract-demand schedules with seasonal demand pricing apply; TOU and interruptible options can reduce cost for flexible loads.
- Negotiate contract demand carefully to avoid the 12-month ratchet
- Evaluate interruptible (IP5/IP30) and TOU (TDGSA) options
EV charging operator
Fleet depots and public charging sites.
The dedicated EVC schedule is structured for charging load profiles.
- Compare EVC against GSA for your duty cycle
- Use interval data to manage charging peaks
Historical Rate Trends
Because KUB passes through 100% of TVA wholesale cost changes via the monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA), electric rates move up and down each month. Base rate structure is set by the KUB Board (GSA tariff under Resolution 1493 effective April 1, 2025, with the Purchased Power Adjustment updated July 1, 2025).
April 1, 2025
GSA General Power rate schedule adopted under Resolution 1493.
n/aJuly 1, 2025
Purchased Power Adjustment updated (1.624 cents/kWh GSA1 & GSA2 block 1, 1.183 cents/kWh GSA2 block 2 & GSA3).
varies (FCA)October 1, 2026
Scheduled ~3% gas base rate increase (third of three annual steps).
+3%Overall trend: Electric energy charges fluctuate monthly with TVA fuel costs; gas base rates have been on a scheduled 3% annual increase track (October 2024, 2025, and 2026).
Next expected change: Monthly electric FCA adjustments ongoing; next scheduled gas base increase ~3% in October 2026.
Cost Optimization Strategies
For KUB C&I accounts, demand management and rate-schedule selection drive the most savings, since demand charges escalate steeply above 50 kW and the energy charge tracks TVA fuel costs monthly.
Peak Demand Management
For: GSA-2 and larger C&I customers
Stagger large equipment startups and shave coincident peaks to lower the metered 30-minute demand that sets the kW charge.
Time-of-Use Enrollment
For: Customers with shiftable load up to 5,000 kW
Shift flexible load to off-peak hours under GSA-TOU/TDGSA, where off-peak energy is roughly half the on-peak rate.
Right-Size the Rate Schedule
For: All commercial accounts
Verify the account is on the optimal schedule (GSA-1 vs GSA-2 thresholds at 50 kW / 15,000 kWh) and review contract demand to avoid ratchet penalties.
Interval Data Analytics
For: All AMI-metered C&I customers
Use the My Advanced Meter Data hourly view (or a custom KUB export) to identify peak drivers and validate efficiency projects.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my energy consultant pull KUB interval data through an API or Green Button?▾
No. KUB does not support Green Button (Download or Connect My Data), has no public customer-data API, and is not in the Green Button Alliance Directory. Consultants can view hourly/daily usage by being added as an authorized contact in myaccount.kub.org, or request a custom data export by calling KUB Business Services at (865) 524-2911 with written customer authorization.
How is demand (kW) measured for commercial accounts?▾
KUB meters demand as the highest average kW during any 30-consecutive-minute period in the billing month. A kVA-based measured demand and a ratchet floor (no less than 30% of the higher of contract demand or the highest billing demand in the prior 12 months) can also apply, so managing peaks and contract demand directly affects the bill.
Why do my KUB electric rates change month to month?▾
KUB buys 100% of its power from TVA and passes through TVA's monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) at cost. As TVA fuel and purchased-power costs rise or fall, the energy portion of your bill changes accordingly. The rates shown on KUB's business rate page are inclusive of the current month's adjustment.
Can a C&I customer choose a different electricity supplier?▾
No. KUB is a regulated municipal utility and a TVA distributor; there is no competitive retail electric choice in its territory. All customers take bundled service from KUB under the applicable rate schedule set by the KUB Board.
Does KUB support EDI for automated commercial billing?▾
No formal EDI program is published, and KUB is not listed in the DOE/EERE EDI utilities directory. Large C&I customers can contact KUB Business Services to explore custom exports from KUB's Oracle Utilities billing system.
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