Palmetto Electric Cooperative Rate Selection Guide
Palmetto Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving roughly 80,000 accounts across Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper Counties in South Carolina. Customer billing and daily usage data are available through the MyEnergy Online portal, but the cooperative offers no Green Button, EDI, or third-party API program — making customer-mediated data sharing the primary path for C&I energy analysis.
Palmetto Electric Cooperative Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule II | Small commercial | $1.09/day + 11.900¢/kWh | Small businesses without significant demand. |
| GST-1 | Small commercial TOU | On-peak 25.150¢ (summer)/19.550¢; off-peak 8.650¢ | Small businesses that can shift load to off-peak hours. |
| LPS-1 | Large power | $11.20/kW demand + 7.150–7.750¢/kWh tiered energy | Larger C&I loads with steady demand. |
| LPS-2 | Large power, voluntary load mgmt | $120 + $2.25/kW peak + $14.00/kW coincident peak + 7.450¢/kWh | Large C&I that can curtail during the co-op's monthly system peak. |
Market Overview
Palmetto Electric Cooperative is a member-owned distribution cooperative. Members cannot shop for a competitive supplier; the co-op buys wholesale power through Central Electric Power Cooperative and sets retail rates through its board, subject to the Tier Stabilization Adjustment (Schedule T) which passes through wholesale power cost and margin adjustments.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Palmetto Electric Cooperative Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
The following C&I rate schedules are taken from Palmetto Electric Cooperative's official Rate Schedules appendix, effective with bills rendered on or after January 1, 2025 (revised 2025-01-29). All schedules are also subject to the Tier Stabilization Adjustment (Schedule T) and the Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment.
Effective: January 1, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule II — Small General Service | commercial | Small general (commercial) service. | Facility Charge $1.09/day; all kWh at 11.900¢ per kWh. Minimum monthly charge $1.09/day. Subject to Schedule T. | — |
| Schedule GST-1 — Small General Service Time-of-Use | commercial | Small general service customers electing time-of-use pricing. | Facility Charge $1.09/day. On-peak: 25.150¢/kWh (Jun–Sep), 19.550¢/kWh (Oct–May). Off-peak: 8.650¢/kWh. Subject to Schedule T. | — |
| Schedule LPS-1 — Large Power Service | industrial | Large power (C&I) service. | Demand Charge $11.20 per kW of billing demand. Energy: first 200 kWh/kW of billing demand at 7.750¢, next 200 kWh/kW at 7.450¢, over 400 kWh/kW at 7.150¢. Transformer/facility provision $1.15 per kVA installed. Subject to Schedule T. | — |
| Schedule LPS-2 — Large Power Service Voluntary Load Management | industrial | Large power customers able to curtail load during the cooperative's coincident system peak. | Facility Charge $120.00. Peak Demand Charge $2.25 per kW. Coincident Peak Demand Charge $14.00 per kW of coincident peak demand. Energy 7.450¢ per kWh. Transformer provision $1.15 per kVA plus $120 facility charge. Subject to Schedule T. | — |
| Schedule LPS-H — Large Load Power Service | industrial | Large-load power service priced on a cost-of-service basis tied to Central Electric Power Cooperative's wholesale rate schedule and riders. | Cost-of-service rate; charges derived from Central Electric Power Cooperative's wholesale rate schedule. Specific rates available from the cooperative upon request. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large industrial / big-box facility
High-demand C&I facilities on Schedule LPS-1 should focus relentlessly on peak kW, since the $11.20/kW billing demand charge dominates the bill.
LPS-1 energy is declining-block (7.150–7.750¢/kWh), so demand charges, not energy, are the swing factor. Facilities that can curtail at the system peak should model LPS-2.
- Install peak-shaving controls and sequence motor startups
- Model an LPS-1 vs LPS-2 comparison using 12 months of demand data
- Request interval data directly from Business Services for accurate modeling
Mid-size commercial (office, retail, light manufacturing)
Accounts straddling small general and large power should determine whether billing demand consistently triggers LPS-1 economics, then optimize accordingly.
Schedule II is energy-only (11.900¢/kWh); once demand becomes significant, LPS-1's demand charge plus lower energy rate can be cheaper. The crossover depends on load factor.
- Pull 12 months of bills from MyEnergy Online to estimate load factor
- Compare effective ¢/kWh on Schedule II vs LPS-1 at your demand
- Ask Palmetto Electric to run a rate comparison for your account
Flexible load with curtailment capability
Facilities with backup generation, thermal storage, or shiftable processes should evaluate LPS-2 voluntary load management.
LPS-2 replaces the high straight demand charge with a $2.25/kW peak charge plus a $14.00/kW coincident-peak charge — favorable when you can avoid the cooperative's single monthly system peak.
- Enroll in Beat the Peak to receive peak-period alerts
- Automate curtailment to hit the monthly coincident peak window
- Verify savings with a 12-month LPS-1 vs LPS-2 bill simulation
Small business optimizing energy spend
Small commercial accounts that can shift load should consider the GST-1 time-of-use schedule.
GST-1 off-peak energy (8.650¢/kWh) is far below summer on-peak (25.150¢/kWh); businesses with off-peak-heavy operations save versus flat Schedule II at 11.900¢/kWh.
- Map your load shape against the Jun–Sep on-peak window
- Shift discretionary loads (charging, pumping, HVAC pre-cooling) off-peak
- Compare GST-1 vs Schedule II on your actual usage profile
Historical Rate Trends
Palmetto Electric implemented a rate adjustment effective with January 2025 bills, increasing the daily facility charge and per-kWh energy rates across residential and commercial schedules. Rates also move month-to-month through the Tier Stabilization Adjustment / Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment (Schedule T).
January 1, 2025
2025 rate adjustment: facility charge increased by $0.09/day and per-kWh energy charges raised across residential and commercial schedules (e.g., Schedule II to 11.900¢/kWh).
n/aOverall trend: Modest upward adjustment in 2025; ongoing wholesale-cost pass-through via Schedule T.
Next expected change: Not announced; monitor the Cooperative's rates page and board actions.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because Large Power Service bills are driven by demand, the highest-leverage savings come from reducing peak kW and, where possible, curtailing during the cooperative's coincident system peak.
Peak demand (kW) reduction
For: LPS-1 and LPS-2 large power accounts
Stagger equipment startup, sequence large motors, and shave peaks to lower the billing demand that drives the $11.20/kW LPS-1 charge.
Evaluate LPS-2 load management
For: Large C&I with curtailable load
If you can reliably curtail during the cooperative's single monthly system peak, LPS-2 trades a high per-kW demand charge for a $2.25/kW peak charge plus a $14.00/kW coincident-peak charge — often net-favorable for flexible loads.
Time-of-use load shifting (GST-1)
For: Small general service customers on GST-1
Small commercial accounts that shift consumption to off-peak hours (8.650¢/kWh vs 25.150¢ summer on-peak) can cut energy costs substantially.
Beat the Peak participation
For: All members
Enroll in Beat the Peak alerts to receive notice of peak periods and reduce usage, supporting both LPS-2 coincident-peak management and overall cost control.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Palmetto Electric Cooperative interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a third-party energy consultant pull our commercial usage data directly from Palmetto Electric?▾
No. Palmetto Electric Cooperative has no Share My Data program, OAuth API, or aggregator partnership. A consultant must obtain data from you directly — typically by you downloading bills and usage charts from MyEnergy Online — or by submitting a written authorization and requesting data manually from the cooperative.
Is 15-minute interval data available for our large power (LPS) accounts?▾
Not through any public self-service channel. MyEnergy Online shows only daily and monthly usage. Large Power Service customers (Schedule LPS-1/LPS-2) should contact Business Services at 843-726-5551 to discuss whether interval meter data can be provided directly for the account.
Does Palmetto Electric support Green Button or EDI for C&I customers?▾
No. There is no Green Button Download My Data or Connect My Data, and no documented EDI trading partner program (814, 867, etc.). For EDI inquiries, email peci@palmetto.coop or call 843-726-5551.
What rate schedules apply to commercial and industrial members?▾
Schedule II (Small General Service), GST-1 (Small General Service Time-of-Use), LPS-1 (Large Power Service), LPS-2 (Large Power Service Voluntary Load Management), and LPS-H (Large Load Power Service). LPS-2 adds a coincident-peak demand charge for members who can shift load off the cooperative's monthly peak.
How can a C&I customer reduce demand charges at Palmetto Electric?▾
Large Power Service bills are dominated by the $11.20/kW billing demand charge on LPS-1. Reducing peak kW through staggered equipment startup and peak shaving directly lowers the bill. Members able to curtail during the cooperative's monthly system peak should evaluate LPS-2, which trades a lower per-kW peak demand charge for a coincident-peak charge tied to the wholesale peak.
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