Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative Rate Selection Guide
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving roughly 54,400 services across southeastern Arizona, regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission. Data access is primarily through the NISC SmartHub self-service portal; SSVEC has deployed AMI smart meters but offers no Green Button, EDI, or public API, so interval data requires a direct request.
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service (GS) | Commercial | $23.00/mo + $2.50/kW (first 3 kW), $9.00/kW (over 3 kW) + $0.100991/kWh | Small to mid-size commercial and business accounts |
| Large Power Service (P) | Industrial | $55.00/mo + $8.00/kVA demand + $0.073020/kWh | Larger facilities at/above 50 kVA seeking lower energy rate |
| Irrigation Service (IS) | Agricultural | $30.00/mo + $8.25/kVA (Apr-Oct) + $0.082502/kWh (Apr-Oct) | Agricultural pumping and municipal water systems |
Market Overview
Arizona operates a regulated, vertically integrated electricity market with no retail choice for cooperative members. SSVEC's retail rates are set under tariffs approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission. Wholesale power is supplied largely through Arizona G&T Cooperatives (AEPCO). A 2024 rate case requested roughly a 7.79% revenue increase effective no later than January 1, 2026.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
SSVEC's commercial and industrial rates are set in its ACC-approved Standard Offer Tariff. Figures below are from the filed tariff (rates effective November 1, 2017, per ACC Decisions 75788 and 76465). A rate case requesting an approximately 7.79% overall revenue increase is pending with new rates anticipated effective no later than January 1, 2026; verify final figures against the current tariff and ACC docket before relying on them.
Effective: November 1, 2017 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service (Schedule GS) | commercial | Single- and three-phase commercial lighting, small power, business and farm use, and water pumps under 50 kVA. | Service Availability Charge $23.00/customer/mo; Demand Charge $2.50/kW for first 3 kW and $9.00/kW over 3 kW; Energy Charge $0.100991/kWh (all kWh). Billing demand = highest 15-minute kW/kVA, minimum 3 kW. | — |
| General Service & Small Power Time-of-Use (Schedule GT) | commercial | Optional TOU for the same commercial/small-power customers as GS, on written request. | Service availability plus on-peak/off-peak energy charges and a demand charge; TOU rate components per the ACC Standard Offer Tariff (verify current values). | — |
| Large Power Service (Schedule P) | industrial | Customers electing or billed at a minimum of 50 kVA; not available to irrigation customers. | Service Availability Charge $55.00/customer/mo; Demand Charge $8.00 per kVA of billing capacity; Energy Charge $0.073020/kWh (all kWh). $1.00/kVA primary-service discount for customer-owned transformers. Billing capacity = highest 15-minute kVA. | — |
| Large Power Service Time-of-Use (Schedule PT) | industrial | Optional TOU for Large Power customers (minimum 50 kVA); not available for irrigation. | Service availability plus on-peak/off-peak energy and a kVA demand charge; TOU components per the ACC Standard Offer Tariff (verify current values). | — |
| Irrigation Service (Schedule IS) | agricultural | Irrigation, commercial, and municipal water pumping systems. | Service Availability Charge $30.00/customer/mo; Capacity Charge $8.25 per kVA (April-Oct); Energy Charge $0.082502/kWh April-Oct; winter (Nov-Mar) tiered energy $0.057684/kWh first 300 kWh/kVA and $0.045598/kWh excess. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial building
Office, retail, or light-commercial sites typically billed on General Service (GS).
GS fits commercial loads below 50 kVA with a modest demand charge; the higher energy rate makes peak and consumption management worthwhile.
- Pull bills from SmartHub and request 15-minute interval data from SSVEC for an audit
- Stagger HVAC and equipment startups to cut the 15-minute peak
- Compare GS vs. Schedule P if your peak approaches 50 kVA
Industrial / large facility
Manufacturing or large facilities at/above 50 kVA.
Schedule P's ~$0.073/kWh energy rate beats GS for high-usage sites; the $8.00/kVA demand charge rewards high load factor and good power factor.
- Correct power factor to reduce billed kVA
- Evaluate PT time-of-use if load can shift off peak
- Own/maintain your transformer for the $1.00/kVA primary-service discount
Agricultural pumping
Irrigation, commercial, and municipal water pumping operations.
Irrigation schedules use seasonal pricing and capacity charges; controlled-irrigation options give credits for accepting load control.
- Shift pumping to winter tiered rates where feasible
- Enroll in controlled irrigation for load-control credits
- Right-size pumps to manage billed kVA capacity
Multi-site / data-driven energy team
Organizations needing structured interval data across multiple SSVEC accounts.
SSVEC has no API or Green Button, so a data strategy must rely on authorized direct requests and customer-mediated SmartHub exports.
- Submit written authorization and request interval data directly from SSVEC
- Budget several weeks of lead time for fulfillment
- For ongoing access, propose a formal data-sharing agreement to SSVEC management
Historical Rate Trends
SSVEC held retail rates flat for roughly nine years after its 2016 rate case (rates effective Nov 1, 2017 under ACC Decisions 75788 and 76465), citing strict cost control. In 2024 it filed a new rate case driven by inflation, 2021-2023 power-cost increases, and supply-chain pressures.
November 1, 2017
Standard Offer Tariff rates took effect under ACC Decisions 75788 (Phase 1) and 76465 (Phase 2).
n/aJanuary 1, 2026
Pending rate case requesting an approximately 7.79% overall revenue increase; new rates anticipated effective no later than this date (subject to ACC approval).
+7.79%Overall trend: Stable for ~9 years, then a single modest increase pending for 2026.
Next expected change: New rates anticipated effective no later than January 1, 2026 (approximately 7.79% overall revenue increase).
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because SSVEC C&I bills are demand-driven and demand is measured on a 15-minute interval, the highest-leverage savings come from peak shaving, schedule selection, and power-factor correction.
Choose GS vs. P by load factor
For: Commercial and industrial accounts near the 50 kVA threshold
Model your annual kWh and peak kVA against both schedules: GS has a low demand charge but ~$0.101/kWh energy, while Large Power Service has an $8.00/kVA demand charge but ~$0.073/kWh energy. Higher load factor favors Schedule P.
15-minute peak shaving
For: Any demand-billed C&I account
Demand is the highest 15-minute interval; staggering equipment startups and shifting loads off coincident peaks lowers billed demand on GS and P.
Power-factor correction
For: Three-phase / motor-heavy loads
Schedule P bills on kVA and GS can bill on kVA when power factor is below 90%. Correcting power factor reduces billed capacity and avoids kVA penalties.
Irrigation load control / TOU
For: Agricultural and flexible C&I loads
Controlled-irrigation schedules and TOU options (GT/PT) reduce charges when loads can be shifted off peak or accept load-control events.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a commercial member get interval (15-minute) data for an energy audit?▾
SSVEC's AMI meters collect interval data and General Service demand is metered on a 15-minute basis, but there is no self-service download or API. Call SSVEC at (520) 384-2221, ask metering or customer service for your interval usage data, and provide your account number, service address, period, and desired granularity. Plan for a manual fulfillment timeline of several weeks.
Does SSVEC support Green Button or a third-party API for our energy management platform?▾
No. SSVEC does not offer Green Button Download My Data or Connect My Data, has no public developer API, and is not listed in the Green Button Alliance directory. The practical path is customer-mediated export from SmartHub or a written authorization for SSVEC to release data directly to your vendor.
Which rate schedule applies to a commercial or industrial facility?▾
Smaller commercial loads typically take General Service (Schedule GS). Facilities electing or billed at a minimum of 50 kVA take Large Power Service (Schedule P), which carries a lower energy rate but a kVA demand charge. Agricultural pumping loads use Irrigation Service (Schedule IS) and related controlled-irrigation schedules. Time-of-use variants (GT, PT) are available on request.
Are SSVEC rates changing in 2026?▾
Yes. SSVEC filed a rate case with the Arizona Corporation Commission requesting an approximately 7.79% overall revenue increase, with new rates anticipated effective no later than January 1, 2026. The increase is intended to be spread across customer classes; commercial members should expect demand and energy components to rise. Verify final approved figures against the ACC docket and SSVEC's current tariff.
Can a third-party consultant pull our data on our behalf?▾
There is no automated third-party program. Provide written authorization to SSVEC and request a data release through billing (Danna Judd) or the VP of Strategy/Compliance (Andrea Tyndall) at (520) 384-2221. Ongoing automated access for multiple accounts may require a formal agreement or board approval.
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