South Plains Electric Cooperative Rate Selection Guide
South Plains Electric Cooperative (SPEC) is a not-for-profit electric cooperative serving more than 75,000 connected meters across 18 counties in West Texas. SPEC has deployed Gridstream AMI capable of 15-minute interval collection, but member-facing interval data, Green Button, EDI, and API access are not yet available — billing data is reached through the online portal and SPEC mobile app.
South Plains Electric Cooperative Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service (Rate 6) | Commercial | $0.104869/kWh + $25.50/mo | Small commercial loads under ~50 kVa with no demand charge |
| Large Power 50–499 kW (Rate 8) | Industrial | $8.00/kW + $0.066–0.086/kWh | Mid-size facilities with steady demand 50–499 kW |
| Large Power 500–999 kW (Rate 28) | Industrial | $9.50/kW + $0.061–0.081/kWh | Large facilities 500–999 kW with good load factor |
| Large Power 1,000–2,000 kW (Rate 29) | Industrial | $10.50/kW + $0.056–0.076/kWh | Industrial plants 1,000–2,000 kW running at high, steady load |
| Large Power TOU (Rate 408) | Industrial | Time-differentiated | Operations able to shift load to off-peak hours |
Market Overview
SPEC is a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative that opted out of ERCOT retail competition. There is no competitive retail choice; the member-elected Board sets rates under SPEC's published tariff. SPEC is not rate-regulated by the Texas PUC.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the South Plains Electric Cooperative Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
SPEC's commercial and industrial rates are set in its Master Tariff. General Service (Rate 6) serves smaller C&I loads up to ~50 kVa on a flat energy charge, while Large Power schedules (Rates 8, 28, 29) apply demand charges and declining-block energy charges as demand rises through 499 kW, 999 kW, and 2,000 kW tiers. A Large Power Time-of-Use option (Rate 408) is also available. SPEC's Board approved a rate change effective May 2025 billing (~8.93% revenue increase), so current billed amounts may exceed the base tariff figures below.
Effective: November 1, 2017 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service (Rate 6) | commercial | Commercial, industrial, municipal water, master-metered apartments and mobile home parks; single/three-phase up to ~50 kVa. Not for cotton gins or irrigation pumping. | Facilities Charge $25.50/month; Energy Charge $0.104869 per kWh (flat). Minimum monthly = facilities charge. | $0.104869/kWh+ None (non-demand) |
| General Service – All Electric (Rate 7) | commercial | All-electric commercial/industrial up to ~50 kVa with seasonal declining-block energy. | Facilities Charge $25.50/month; Nov–Apr first 1,000 kWh $0.104869, over 1,000 kWh $0.074869; May–Oct all kWh $0.104869. | $0.074869–$0.104869/kWh+ None (non-demand) |
| Large Power 50–499 kW (Rate 8) | industrial | General and industrial members with demand in excess of 50 kW up to 499 kW. | Facilities Charge $64.00/month; Demand Charge $8.00/kW (15-min max, 75% ratchet); Energy $0.085657/kWh first 175 kWh/kW of billing demand, $0.06596/kWh remaining. | $0.06596–$0.085657/kWh+ $8.00/kW/month |
| Large Power 500–999 kW (Rate 28) | industrial | General and industrial members with demand from 500 kW up to 999 kW. | Facilities Charge $84.00/month; Demand Charge $9.50/kW (15-min max, 75% ratchet); Energy $0.080957/kWh first 175 kWh/kW, $0.060957/kWh remaining. | $0.060957–$0.080957/kWh+ $9.50/kW/month |
| Large Power 1,000–2,000 kW (Rate 29) | industrial | General and industrial members with demand from 1,000 kW up to 2,000 kW. | Facilities Charge $104.00/month; Demand Charge $10.50/kW (15-min max, 75% ratchet); Energy $0.075957/kWh first 175 kWh/kW, $0.055957/kWh remaining. | $0.055957–$0.075957/kWh+ $10.50/kW/month |
| Large Power – Time of Use (Rate 408) | industrial | General and industrial members electing time-of-use pricing. | Time-differentiated demand and energy charges; see Master Tariff for on/off-peak components. Best for loads that can shift off-peak. | TOU (see tariff)+ Time-differentiated (see tariff) |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial facility (<50 kVa, no demand metering)
Office, retail, or small shop without significant demand peaks.
Rate 6 has no demand charge — a flat $0.104869/kWh plus $25.50/month facilities charge — which is simplest and cheapest for low, intermittent loads under ~50 kVa.
- Confirm you stay under the 50 kW qualifying conditions to avoid being moved to Large Power.
- Track monthly kWh in the portal to spot creeping baseload.
Mid-size commercial/industrial (50–499 kW demand)
Manufacturing, cold storage, or larger commercial with metered demand 50–499 kW.
Rate 8 adds an $8.00/kW demand charge but lowers energy below General Service. Managing the 15-minute peak and the 75% ratchet is the biggest lever on total cost.
- Use demand-limiting controls on HVAC and motors.
- Hold power factor at/above 95% to avoid adjustments.
- Avoid one-off spikes — they ratchet for 11 months.
Large industrial plant (500–2,000 kW demand)
High-load industrial sites with demand from 500 kW up to 2,000 kW.
Higher tiers carry higher demand charges ($9.50–$10.50/kW) but materially lower energy rates (down to ~$0.056/kWh), so high, steady load factors are rewarded.
- Run energy-intensive processes continuously to raise load factor.
- Correct power factor to 95%+.
- Confirm your demand tier matches actual peak to avoid overpaying.
Time-flexible industrial operation
Facilities that can shift production or charging to off-peak windows.
TOU pricing rewards off-peak consumption; for shiftable loads it can beat the standard Large Power schedule.
- Model your load shape against on/off-peak windows in the tariff before switching.
- Automate equipment scheduling to off-peak periods.
Multi-site portfolio / energy advisor
Consultant or facilities team managing several SPEC accounts.
SPEC has no API, Green Button, or EDI, so portfolio analysis relies on portal PDF exports or member-authorized custom data requests. Plan for manual data collection.
- Request custom interval/demand extracts from SPEC at (806) 775-7766.
- Collect signed member authorizations and account numbers up front.
- Check Nectar (docs.nectarclimate.com) for coverage.
Historical Rate Trends
SPEC's base tariff energy and demand charges shown here carry a November 1, 2017 effective date. In 2025 the Board approved a rate change, effective the May 2025 billing cycle, projected to raise the cooperative's annual revenue by approximately 8.93% based on a test year ending December 31, 2023. Cooperative rates also move with wholesale power cost (billing adjustments) under Section 20 of the tariff.
May 1, 2025
Board-approved rate change effective the May 2025 billing cycle, projected to increase the cooperative's annual revenues by approximately 8.93% over adjusted test-year revenues (test year ending December 31, 2023).
+8.93%Overall trend: Upward — rising wholesale power costs and a 2025 Board-approved rate adjustment have increased C&I costs above the base tariff figures.
Next expected change: Future Board-approved adjustments and ongoing wholesale power-cost (billing-adjustment) pass-throughs; no fixed schedule published.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because SPEC Large Power schedules combine a demand charge with a 75% demand ratchet and declining-block energy, C&I cost control centers on flattening peak demand, improving power factor, and choosing the right schedule for your demand tier.
Peak demand management
For: Large Power (Rates 8/28/29)
Stagger startup of large motors/HVAC and shave coincident peaks. Because billing demand is the 15-minute maximum and is ratcheted to 75% of the trailing-11-month peak, a single spike inflates bills for nearly a year.
Power factor correction
For: Large Power and Irrigation schedules
Maintain average power factor at/above 95%. SPEC applies a power-factor adjustment that increases billed quantities when PF falls below 95% lagging.
Improve load factor / schedule fit
For: Commercial and industrial members
Higher, steadier consumption drops you into lower per-kWh declining blocks and qualifies larger loads for higher Large Power tiers with lower energy rates. Verify you are on the correct demand-tier schedule.
Time-of-Use enrollment
For: Shiftable industrial load
If operations can shift load off-peak, evaluate Large Power Time-of-Use (Rate 408) against your standard Large Power schedule.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download South Plains Electric Cooperative interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my business get 15-minute interval data from South Plains Electric Cooperative?▾
Not through self-service today. SPEC's Gridstream AMI can collect 15-minute interval data, but there is no member-facing portal or API that exposes it. Commercial and industrial members can call (806) 775-7766 to request a custom interval or demand data extract, which may involve a fee.
Does SPEC support Green Button or an API for automated data access?▾
No. SPEC has not implemented Green Button Download My Data or Connect My Data, has no ESPI compliance, and offers no public API or developer portal. Billing data is available only as PDF/HTML through the member portal and SPEC mobile app.
Which rate schedule applies to a commercial or industrial site on SPEC?▾
Loads up to about 50 kVa typically take General Service (Rate 6) with a flat $0.104869/kWh and no demand charge. Once metered demand exceeds 50 kW, sites move to Large Power schedules: Rate 8 (50–499 kW), Rate 28 (500–999 kW), or Rate 29 (1,000–2,000 kW), each with demand charges and declining-block energy.
How do SPEC's demand charges and the ratchet work?▾
Large Power demand is the maximum kW in any 15-minute interval during the billing period, but billing demand is never less than 75% of the highest demand set in the prior 11 months. Demand charges run $8.00/kW (Rate 8), $9.50/kW (Rate 28), and $10.50/kW (Rate 29), so a single peak can raise bills for almost a year.
Can I shop for a competitive electricity supplier on SPEC?▾
No. As a member-owned cooperative, SPEC opted out of ERCOT retail competition. There is no retail choice in its territory; the member-elected Board sets rates under SPEC's filed tariff.
Have SPEC rates changed recently?▾
Yes. The base tariff figures carry a 2017 effective date, but SPEC's Board approved a rate change effective the May 2025 billing cycle projected to raise annual revenue by about 8.93%. Wholesale power-cost billing adjustments under Section 20 also affect bills. Confirm current rates against the latest tariff or your bill.
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