City Water, Light & Power (CWLP) Rate Selection Guide
City Water, Light & Power (CWLP) is a municipal electric and water utility serving roughly 71,000 electric customers in Springfield, Illinois. Today CWLP offers monthly billing and usage data through its myCWLP portal, with interval data and standardized third-party access expected as it deploys AMI across 70,000+ meters in 2026-2027.
City Water, Light & Power (CWLP) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate 40 - GS Small | Commercial | ~$0.0995-$0.1083/kWh + $8.45-$10.22/kW demand | Small businesses under 70 kW peak demand. |
| Rate 46 - GS Medium | Commercial | ~$0.0884-$0.0971/kWh + $11.89-$14.01/kW demand | Mid-size commercial with 70 kW+ demand. |
| Rate 48 - GS Large | Industrial | ~$0.0756-$0.0819/kWh + $12.63-$16.11/kVA demand | Large industrial primary-service loads. |
| Rate 58 - GS State of IL | Industrial | ~$0.0870-$0.0946/kWh + $11.50-$14.91/kW demand | Large State of Illinois facilities (2,250 kW+). |
Market Overview
CWLP is a vertically integrated municipal utility owned by the City of Springfield. Electric rates are set by Springfield City Council ordinance and reflected in City Code. There is no competitive retail supplier choice; CWLP participates in the MISO wholesale market for settlement and transmission.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the City Water, Light & Power (CWLP) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
CWLP commercial and industrial electric rates took effect March 1, 2026, as adopted in Springfield City Code. C&I schedules pair a monthly customer charge with seasonal energy rates (summer May 15-Sep 14, winter Sep 15-May 14) and, for most classes, a demand charge based on the highest average kW in any 15-minute period. A monthly fuel adjustment and 5% (or $0.0032/kWh) state utility tax also apply. The dollar figures below are verified from CWLP's published rate page.
Effective: March 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate 40 - General Service - Small | commercial | Single-phase nonresidential/commercial or three-phase service through a single meter at standard secondary voltage; minimum demand 1 kW. | Customer charge $32.34/mo; energy $0.0995/kWh winter, $0.1083/kWh summer; demand $8.45/kW winter, $10.22/kW summer. | — |
| Rate 42 - General Service - Single Meter Space Heating | commercial | Nonresidential/commercial single-meter service where electricity is the primary heating source; minimum demand 1 kW. | Customer charge $39.01/mo; energy $0.0898/kWh winter, $0.0973/kWh summer; demand $8.45/kW winter, $10.97/kW summer. | — |
| Rate 44 - General Service - Separate Meter Space Heating | commercial | General service customers using electricity as the primary heating source, metered separately from other equipment. | Customer charge $32.34/mo; energy $0.1081/kWh winter, $0.1193/kWh summer; no demand charge. | — |
| Rate 46 - General Service - Medium | commercial | Nonresidential/commercial single-meter service at standard voltage; minimum demand 70 kW. | Customer charge $324.59/mo; energy $0.0884/kWh winter, $0.0971/kWh summer; demand $11.89/kW winter, $14.01/kW summer. | — |
| Rate 48 - General Service - Large | industrial | Industrial customers served through a single primary meter at 4,160 V or 12,470 V; minimum bill $8,000/month. | Customer charge $1,079.01/mo; energy $0.0756/kWh winter, $0.0819/kWh summer; demand $12.63/kVA winter, $16.11/kVA summer. | — |
| Rate 58 - General Service - State of Illinois | industrial | State of Illinois accounts at 4,160 V or 12,470 V with a minimum demand responsibility of 2,250 kW. | Customer charge $1,079.01/mo; energy $0.0870/kWh winter, $0.0946/kWh summer; demand $11.50/kW winter, $14.91/kW summer. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial business (under 70 kW)
Small Springfield businesses are served on Rate 40 with modest demand charges. Focus on monthly usage tracking and avoiding summer peaks.
Rate 40 is the default small C&I schedule; below 70 kW it avoids the higher customer and demand charges of Rate 46.
- Track monthly kWh in myCWLP and compare year over year.
- Avoid stacking equipment startups to limit peak 15-minute demand.
- Shift discretionary load out of the summer season.
Mid-size commercial / institutional (70 kW+)
Buildings with 70 kW+ demand fall on Rate 46, where demand charges of $11.89-$14.01/kW dominate. Active demand management is the key lever.
Rate 46 applies above the 70 kW minimum and carries materially higher demand charges and a $324.59 customer charge.
- Deploy peak-demand monitoring to shave the monthly 15-minute peak.
- Evaluate behind-the-meter storage to cut demand charges.
- Verify eligibility for the 2% primary-metering and transformer discounts.
Large industrial primary-service customer
Industrial sites taking primary service at 4,160/12,470 V are on Rate 48 with kVA-based demand charges and an $8,000 minimum bill. Power factor and demand management matter most.
Rate 48 offers the lowest energy rates ($0.0756-$0.0819/kWh) but bills demand on kVA, so poor power factor directly inflates demand charges.
- Improve power factor to reduce kVA-based demand charges.
- Manage peak demand to stay efficient against the $8,000 minimum bill.
- Capture the 2% primary-metering and transformer-ownership discounts.
Multi-site energy manager / consultant
For portfolio data access, plan around CWLP's manual process today and the AMI rollout that will unlock interval data in 2026-2027.
CWLP has no API or Green Button today, so consultants must use customer-authorized manual requests and prepare for AMI-enabled data.
- Collect signed 220 ILCS 5/16-122 authorizations up front for each account.
- Track CWLP's AMI deployment and request Green Button CMD when available.
- Benchmark sites on monthly demand and seasonal energy to prioritize peak-shaving projects.
Historical Rate Trends
CWLP base electric rates are adjusted by Springfield City Council ordinance; the current schedule took effect March 1, 2026. A monthly fuel adjustment varies with actual fuel and purchased-power costs and can be a charge or a credit.
March 1, 2026
Current C&I and residential electric rate schedule took effect, as reflected in Springfield City Code.
n/aJune 1, 2026
June 2026 fuel adjustment set at $0.014368/kWh (a charge of $14.37 per 1,000 kWh).
n/aOverall trend: Recent monthly fuel adjustments have ranged from a credit of ($0.001621)/kWh (May 2026) to charges around $0.0144/kWh (March and June 2026), reflecting volatile fuel costs.
Next expected change: Base rates change by City Council ordinance; the monthly fuel adjustment updates each month.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because demand charges and seasonal energy rates drive CWLP C&I bills, the biggest savings come from managing peak demand, shifting load out of summer peak periods, and capturing available metering discounts.
Peak Demand Management
For: Rates 40, 42, 46, 48, 58
Reduce the highest average 15-minute kW draw each month through load staggering, peak shaving, or storage, since demand charges run $8-$16/kW (or /kVA) across C&I classes.
Summer Load Shifting
For: All C&I classes
Shift discretionary load from the summer season (May 15-Sep 14), when energy rates are roughly 8-12% higher, into winter months.
Capture Metering & Transformer Discounts
For: Eligible commercial classes
Eligible classes (Rates 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 50) can earn a 2% discount for metering at 4,200 V+ and an additional 2% for customer-owned transformers.
Rate Schedule Optimization
For: All C&I classes
Confirm the account is on the lowest-cost eligible schedule (e.g., space-heating Rate 42/44 vs. standard Rate 40/46) based on load profile and heating source.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download City Water, Light & Power (CWLP) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a third-party energy manager get my CWLP commercial usage data via API?▾
Not via an automated API today. CWLP has no third-party API or aggregator integration. Authorized consultants obtain data through a manual, customer-authorized request to CWLP Customer Service under Illinois statute 220 ILCS 5/16-122, typically returned as PDF within 5-15 business days.
Does CWLP provide interval (15-minute) data for commercial accounts?▾
Not yet. CWLP uses monthly manually read meters. Interval data (15-minute or hourly) is expected after CWLP completes its AMI smart-meter deployment in 2026-2027.
How are CWLP commercial and industrial rates determined?▾
CWLP rates are approved by ordinance of the Springfield City Council, not the Illinois Commerce Commission. C&I schedules combine a monthly customer charge, seasonal energy rates, and demand charges based on peak 15-minute kW, plus a monthly fuel adjustment and state utility tax.
What demand charge applies to a large industrial CWLP account?▾
Industrial customers on Rate 48 (General Service - Large) pay a demand charge of $12.63/kVA in winter and $16.11/kVA in summer, plus a $1,079.01 monthly customer charge and a minimum bill of $8,000/month, effective March 1, 2026.
Is there retail supplier choice in CWLP territory?▾
No. CWLP is a municipal utility and the sole electric provider in its service territory. Commercial and industrial customers cannot select a competitive retail electricity supplier the way they can in ComEd or Ameren Illinois territory.
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