Seattle City Light Rate Selection Guide
Seattle City Light is the municipally-owned electric utility serving about 512,500 customers in the Seattle metro area. It was the first U.S. utility to achieve Green Button certification (2014), provides 15-minute interval data through its portal, and offers Seattle Meter Watch for large C&I accounts. As a municipal utility, there is no retail supplier choice.
Seattle City Light Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business (<50 kW) | Flat (or TOU option) | ~12.41 cents/kWh + ~$0.80-$0.82/day base; no demand charge | Small commercial under 50 kW |
| Medium Business (50-999 kW) | Demand-metered | Energy + demand $/kW + transformer-investment $/kW (Network vs Non-Network) | Mid-size facilities 50-999 kW |
| High Demand (1,000-9,999 kW) | Demand-metered | Energy + demand $/kW + transformer-investment $/kW | Large industrial 1,000-9,999 kW |
| High Demand (10,000+ kW) | Demand-metered | Energy + demand $/kW + transformer-investment $/kW | Very large industrial 10,000+ kW |
Market Overview
Seattle City Light is a municipal utility owned by the City of Seattle and is not under Washington UTC jurisdiction. Rates are adopted by the Seattle City Council via the utility's Strategic Plan. There is no competitive supply; all customers take bundled service. Business rate class depends on maximum demand (kW) and Downtown Network location.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Seattle City Light Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Seattle City Light business rates are set by the Seattle City Council. Effective January 1, 2026 an average 5.4% increase took effect; business customers see overall increases of roughly 4-7% depending on class and usage. The 4% Rate Stabilization Account (RSA) surcharge was removed April 1, 2026. Business rate class is set by maximum monthly demand (kW) and whether the account is inside the Downtown Network (D). Each class has a daily base service charge plus a per-kWh energy charge; medium/high-demand classes add demand and transformer-investment charges. Verified figures below are from the City Light Business Rates page (2026); demand $/kW values vary by class/network and are detailed in the tariff.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business / Small General Service (under 50 kW) | commercial | Commercial accounts with maximum demand under 50 kW. | Daily base service charge (~$0.80-$0.82/day, varies Network vs Non-Network) plus an energy charge of about 12.41 cents/kWh (Non-Network) as posted for 2026. No demand charge. Optional small-business time-of-use rate available with peak/mid-peak/off-peak energy charges (peak about 15.24 cents/kWh). | — |
| Medium Business / Medium General Service (50-999 kW) | commercial | Commercial/industrial accounts with maximum demand 50-999 kW. | Daily base service charge plus a per-kWh energy charge, plus a demand charge per kW and a transformer-investment charge per kW; Network (downtown) accounts pay higher rates than Non-Network. Specific $/kW values are set in the 2026 business rate schedule. Optional medium-business time-of-use rate available. | — |
| High Demand General Service (1,000-9,999 kW) | industrial | Large commercial/industrial accounts with maximum demand 1,000-9,999 kW. | Daily base service charge plus per-kWh energy charge, demand charge per kW, and transformer-investment charge per kW, differentiated by Network vs Non-Network. Detailed $/kW values are in the 2026 business rate schedule. | — |
| High Demand General Service (10,000+ kW) | industrial | Very large industrial accounts with maximum demand of 10,000 kW or more. | Daily base service charge plus per-kWh energy charge, demand charge per kW, and transformer-investment charge per kW; highest-volume class with Network/Non-Network differentiation. Detailed $/kW values are in the 2026 business rate schedule. | — |
| Small & Medium Business Time-of-Use | commercial | Small and medium business customers opting into time-of-use pricing. | Peak, mid-peak, and off-peak energy charges (peak about 15.24 cents/kWh for small business) plus the applicable base service charge; designed to reward shifting load off peak. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial office or retail (under 50 kW)
Take the Small Business rate and evaluate the time-of-use option.
Small Business is energy-only (~12.41 cents/kWh plus a daily base charge) with no demand charge, so the main lever is shifting usage off peak under the TOU option.
- Pull the 15-minute usage view to see your load shape.
- Model flat vs TOU using your peak-hour usage.
- Use Green Button export to share with a consultant.
Mid-size facility (50-999 kW)
Manage peak demand on the Medium Business rate using interval data.
Medium Business adds demand ($/kW) and transformer-investment charges, and downtown Network accounts pay more; peak-shaving directly reduces these charges.
- Request Seattle Meter Watch if eligible.
- Stagger HVAC/equipment to cut coincident peaks.
- Confirm whether Network (downtown) rates apply.
Large industrial plant (1,000+ kW)
Take the High Demand rate and run a formal demand-management program.
High Demand classes are dominated by demand and transformer-investment charges; with no supply to shop, peak management and load shaping drive savings.
- Use Seattle Meter Watch for 15-minute demand tracking.
- Target the monthly demand peak specifically.
- Pursue commercial efficiency incentives.
Multi-building portfolio / benchmarking compliance
Automate data into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for SMC 22.920 compliance and prioritization.
Seattle requires annual benchmarking for larger buildings; automated City Light data feeds Portfolio Manager to compute EUI/scores and surface the worst performers for retrofit.
- Authorize SCL_Portfolio_Manager as a contact and share each property.
- Add consultants as Portfolio Manager users.
- Use Green Button DMD for buildings below the benchmarking threshold.
Historical Rate Trends
Rates are set through City Light's multi-year Strategic Plan adopted by the Seattle City Council. The 2025-2026 increases were adopted in fall 2024.
January 1, 2026
Average 5.4% rate increase took effect; business bills up roughly 4-7% by class/usage.
+5.4%April 1, 2026
4% Rate Stabilization Account (RSA) surcharge removed.
-4%Overall trend: Rising: 5.4% average increase effective Jan 1, 2026, with 7-10% annual increases anticipated 2027+ for grid and clean-energy investment.
Next expected change: Future increases under the 2027-2032 Strategic Plan (expected complete Q2 2026); 7-10% annual increases anticipated.
Cost Optimization Strategies
With no supplier choice, City Light C&I savings come from demand management, rate-option selection, and benchmarking rather than shopping supply.
Reduce peak demand (kW)
For: Medium and High Demand classes
Use Seattle Meter Watch or the 15-minute usage view to identify and shave monthly peaks; demand and transformer-investment charges apply to 50 kW+ classes.
Evaluate time-of-use
For: Small and medium business
Compare the flat rate to the small/medium business TOU rate; shifting load off peak (peak ~15.24 cents/kWh small business) can lower energy costs.
Benchmark and retrofit
For: Benchmarking-eligible buildings
Use Portfolio Manager benchmarking to find underperforming buildings and target efficiency retrofits and City Light commercial incentives.
Confirm class / network fit
For: All C&I
Verify the account's demand class and whether downtown Network rates apply; right-sizing service can avoid higher Network charges.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Seattle City Light interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a large commercial or industrial customer get interval data?▾
Large C&I accounts use Seattle Meter Watch, City Light's professional interval-data portal. Eligibility generally includes accounts over 1,000 kW (and 50-999 kW in the downtown network). Email smw@seattle.gov with the account number and facility details to request credentials; the portal provides 15-minute interval, demand (kW), and estimated cost data with CSV export.
Can a consultant or ESCO access our building's data?▾
Yes, through three paths: (1) the building owner shares the property with the consultant in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (best for benchmarking-eligible buildings); (2) the owner authorizes a third-party Seattle Meter Watch login via smw@seattle.gov; or (3) the owner submits written authorization to scl_portfolio_manager@seattle.gov for a manual CSV/Excel export. There is no automated public API.
Does Seattle City Light support Green Button?▾
Yes for Download My Data (DMD). City Light was the first U.S. utility certified for Green Button (2014); customers download usage as ESPI XML and can share the file with consultants or import it into energy apps. Green Button Connect My Data (automated OAuth third-party access) is not documented as available.
How are business rates structured and which class applies?▾
City Light is a municipal utility with no supplier choice; rate class is set by maximum monthly demand (kW) and whether the account is in the Downtown Network. Classes are Small Business (under 50 kW), Medium Business (50-999 kW), and High Demand (1,000-9,999 kW and 10,000+ kW). Bills include a daily base service charge, a per-kWh energy charge, and (for medium/high demand) demand and transformer-investment charges; Network (downtown) accounts pay higher charges than Non-Network.
Is there a time-of-use option for businesses?▾
Yes. City Light offers a Small and Medium Business Time-of-Use rate with peak, mid-peak, and off-peak energy charges, alongside the standard flat-rate option. TOU can lower costs for businesses that can shift load away from peak periods; compare against the flat energy charge for your usage pattern.
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