Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) Rate Selection Guide
Pepco, an Exelon company, is the regulated electric distribution utility for Washington, DC, serving roughly 950,000 customers with fully deployed AMI smart meters. DC operates a deregulated retail-supply market, so commercial customers can shop competitive suppliers while Pepco continues to provide poles-and-wires distribution and Standard Offer Service (SOS).
Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-LV-ND | Commercial | ~$32.88/mo customer charge + per-kWh | Small offices and shops under 25 kW |
| GS-LV | Commercial | ~$38.75/mo customer charge + demand + per-kWh | Midsize demand-metered commercial |
| MGT-LV | Commercial (TOU) | ~$237/mo customer charge + TOU energy + demand | Larger commercial >=100 kW that can shift load |
| GT-LV | Industrial | ~$1,908/mo customer charge + demand + per-kWh | Large facilities >=1,000 kW |
Market Overview
DC retail choice: distribution by Pepco, generation supply from competitive suppliers or SOS. Suppliers must be licensed by DC and exchange usage via EDI. SOS rates are set through periodic DC PSC procurements and change seasonally (summer effective June 1).
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Pepco DC C&I bills separate regulated distribution charges (set by the DC PSC, updated each June 1) from generation/transmission supply, which customers buy from a competitive supplier or via SOS. The figures below are verified fixed monthly customer charges by rate class from Pepco's DC rate filings; per-kWh distribution and supply rates vary by season and SOS procurement and should be confirmed in the current tariff book.
Effective: June 1, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-LV-ND (General Service Low Voltage, Non-Demand) | commercial | Small commercial customers with maximum monthly demand under 25 kW. | Fixed customer charge plus per-kWh distribution and (separately) generation/transmission supply. No demand charge. | Customer charge ~$32.88/month (per Pepco DC rate filing); per-kWh distribution + supply varies seasonally+ None (non-demand class) |
| GS-LV (General Service Low Voltage) | commercial | Midsize-to-large low-voltage commercial customers (demand-metered). | Fixed customer charge, per-kW demand charge, and per-kWh distribution plus supply. Time-metered variant available (MGT-LV). | Customer charge ~$38.75/month (per Pepco DC rate filing); demand and energy charges per current tariff+ Per-kW demand charge applies; see tariff book for current $ per kW |
| MGT-LV (Time-Metered Medium General Service, Low Voltage) | commercial | Commercial customers with maximum 30-minute demand at or above 100 kW in two or more months of a 12-month period. | Time-of-use metered: fixed customer charge, per-kW demand charge, and TOU per-kWh distribution plus supply. | Customer charge ~$237.00/month (per Pepco DC rate filing); TOU energy and demand charges per tariff+ Per-kW demand charge (TOU); see tariff book |
| GT-LV (General Service, Large, Low Voltage) | industrial | Large commercial/industrial customers with maximum 30-minute demand at or above 1,000 kW in two or more months of a 12-month period. | Fixed customer charge, per-kW demand charge, and per-kWh distribution plus supply. Highest fixed charge tier. | Customer charge ~$1,908.28/month (per Pepco DC rate filing); demand and energy charges per tariff+ Per-kW demand charge applies; see tariff book for current $ per kW |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small DC business (under 25 kW)
Office, retail, or small commercial tenant without significant demand.
Non-demand class avoids demand charges; bill is customer charge (~$32.88/mo) plus per-kWh distribution and supply.
- Use Green Button data to confirm demand stays under 25 kW
- Shop a fixed supply rate against SOS
Midsize demand-metered commercial
Demand-metered commercial buildings below 100 kW peak.
GS-LV applies once demand metering is required; manage peak kW to control demand charges.
- Track monthly peak demand
- Consider load controls to shave coincident peaks
Large commercial / time-metered (>=100 kW)
Larger facilities able to shift load across TOU periods.
Time-metered MGT-LV rewards off-peak operation; demand charges are significant.
- Shift discretionary load off-peak
- Invest in demand-response or storage to cut peaks
Very large facility (>=1,000 kW)
Industrial or large institutional loads at or above 1 MW.
GT-LV carries the largest fixed/demand structure; competitive supply and demand management matter most here.
- Negotiate competitive supply contracts
- Deploy peak-shaving and on-site generation/storage
Historical Rate Trends
Pepco files DC distribution rate changes through DC PSC multi-year rate plans, with supply (SOS) updated seasonally each June 1. Distribution rates have trended upward; the DC Commission has approved increases below Pepco's full requests in recent multi-year plans.
June 1, 2025
Summer SOS supply rates and updated distribution schedules took effect for DC customers (current tariff effective 6/1/2025).
varies by classJune 1, 2024
Prior-year June rate update; commercial supply (MGT-LV/GT-LV) trended down while residential/non-demand classes rose, per Honeydew rate analysis of 2024-25 filings.
varies by classOverall trend: Distribution charges rising under multi-year rate plans; SOS supply fluctuates seasonally.
Next expected change: Annual SOS/summer rate update effective June 1; next distribution change per the active multi-year rate plan.
Cost Optimization Strategies
C&I customers can lower Pepco bills by aligning rate class to demand, managing peak demand, and shopping competitive supply.
Demand management / peak shaving
For: MGT-LV, GT-LV demand-metered customers
Reduce coincident peak kW to cut demand charges on MGT-LV and GT-LV, where demand often dominates the bill.
Competitive supply procurement
For: All C&I customers
Shop licensed DC third-party suppliers against the SOS rate-to-compare to lock favorable generation pricing.
TOU load shifting (MGT-LV)
For: MGT-LV customers
Shift discretionary load to off-peak hours under time-metered MGT-LV.
Rate class right-sizing
For: Growing or shrinking commercial accounts
Confirm demand level keeps the account in the most economical class (25 kW / 100 kW / 1,000 kW thresholds).
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
DC commercial customers can buy generation supply from licensed third-party suppliers while Pepco delivers the power. The DC PSC publishes SOS rates as the benchmark rate-to-compare. Pepco's Maryland territory is also deregulated under a Supplier Coordination Tariff.
How to Compare Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) Suppliers
- 01Pull recent Pepco bills and 12 months of Green Button usage
- 02Note current rate class and SOS rate-to-compare from DC PSC
- 03Solicit fixed-price quotes from licensed DC suppliers
- 04Compare total $/kWh including transmission/admin against SOS
- 05Enroll; distribution stays with Pepco and billing continues via Pepco
Contract Terms for Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) Supply Agreements
- Fixed vs. indexed pricing
- Contract term length (12-36 months typical)
- Pass-through of capacity/transmission charges
- Early-termination fees
- Renewal / evergreen rollover terms
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) Rates
- Variable rates can spike after teaser periods
- Watch for auto-renewal at higher rates
- Confirm whether quotes include all non-bypassable charges
- SOS is a benchmark only; default service is not always cheapest
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a DC commercial customer get interval usage data from Pepco?▾
Authorized users download up to 13 months of hourly usage via Green Button (XML/CSV) in My Account. Licensed third-party suppliers receive interval usage automatically through EDI 867 at each billing cycle. There is no public REST API today.
Can a consultant access our Pepco data on our behalf?▾
Yes. Through the Customer Usage Information Authorization in My Account, you can grant a registered provider access to up to 12 months of billing and usage data, and revoke it at any time. Solar contractors use the Green Power Connection authorization for usage data.
Which rate schedule applies to our business?▾
Class is set by demand: GS-LV-ND under 25 kW, GS-LV for demand-metered midsize accounts, MGT-LV (time-metered) at 100 kW or more, and GT-LV at 1,000 kW or more. Verified monthly customer charges are roughly $32.88, $38.75, $237, and $1,908 respectively; per-kWh and demand charges are in the current tariff book.
Is DC a deregulated market, and should we shop for supply?▾
Yes, DC is deregulated. Pepco delivers power while you can buy generation from a licensed supplier or take Pepco SOS. Compare supplier quotes against the DC PSC SOS rate-to-compare; supply is the part of the bill you can negotiate.
How often do Pepco rates change?▾
SOS supply updates seasonally, with the summer rate effective June 1; distribution rates change under DC PSC multi-year rate plans. Always confirm current $ figures in the tariff effective 6/1/2025.
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