United Cooperative Services Rate Selection Guide
United Cooperative Services is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving roughly 105,000 meters across 14 counties in North and Central Texas. It runs the NISC SmartHub platform (MyAccount), supports Green Button Download My Data with 15-minute interval data, and has opted out of ERCOT retail competition, so members buy energy from the cooperative rather than a competitive retailer.
United Cooperative Services Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service 3-Phase (<700 kW) | Commercial | $0.052874/kWh (secondary) + $7.75/kW demand + $32.50/meter + PCRF | Three-phase commercial under 700 kW |
| Industrial 3-Phase (≥700 kW) | Industrial | $0.044019/kWh (secondary) + $8.36/kW demand + $40.00/meter + PCRF | Large industrial at or above 700 kW |
| Large Power Contract | Industrial (contract) | Negotiated; $65.00/meter facilities (<700 kVA) + contract terms | Very large transmission/primary-voltage loads under special contract |
Market Overview
UCS is a member-owned cooperative within ERCOT that has not opted into retail competition. Members buy bundled delivery and energy from UCS and cannot choose a competitive Retail Electric Provider. Wholesale power comes through the Brazos Electric Power Cooperative system; rates are set by the member-elected board.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the United Cooperative Services Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
UCS commercial and industrial rates are set in its tariff (revised January 21, 2022) plus a monthly Power Cost Recovery Factor (PCRF) and Securitized Charges Recovery Factor (SCRF). C&I members are served under three-phase schedules differentiated by demand (above or below 700 kW), with a separate Large Power Contract rate. All figures below are taken directly from the UCS tariff.
Effective: January 21, 2022 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service Three-Phase (202.3, <700 kW) | commercial | Three-phase commercial members with maximum demand less than 700 kW at a single point of delivery. | Facilities Charge $32.50/meter; Demand Charge $7.75/kW (generation $4.06 + United $3.69); Energy Charge secondary $0.052874/kWh, primary $0.051288/kWh; plus monthly PCRF and SCRF. Minimum billed demand 80% of highest May-Oct adjusted kW. 3% primary-service energy discount. | — |
| Industrial & Commercial Three-Phase (202.7, ≥700 kW) | industrial | Three-phase members with maximum demand equal to or greater than 700 kW at a single point of delivery. | Facilities Charge $40.00/meter; Demand Charge $8.36/kW; Energy Charge secondary $0.044019/kWh, primary $0.042698/kWh; plus monthly PCRF and SCRF. Minimum billed demand 80% of highest May-Oct adjusted kW. 3% primary-service energy discount. | — |
| Large Power Contract Rate (202.8) | industrial | Large commercial/industrial members under a special-term contract at transmission, primary, or secondary voltage; available at the cooperative's sole discretion. | Negotiated contract rate. Published tariff sets a Facilities Charge of $65.00/meter for contracts under 700 kVA (with a separate schedule for 700 kVA and over), plus contract demand, energy, PCRF, and SCRF charges. Specific demand/energy figures are contract-specific — contact UCS Business Development. | — |
| General Service Single-Phase (202.1) | commercial | Single-phase small commercial members (reference for small business). | Facilities Charge $17.50/meter ($22.50 three-phase qualifying for single-phase); Energy Charge for generation $0.060510/kWh + distribution delivery $0.023910/kWh; plus monthly PCRF and SCRF. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large industrial facility (≥700 kW)
Lock in the lower energy rate and manage summer peaks plus power factor to control the higher demand charge.
At ≥700 kW the energy rate drops to $0.044019/kWh but demand rises to $8.36/kW, and minimum billed demand is 80% of the summer peak — so demand and power factor dominate the bill.
- Use SmartHub 15-minute data to find and shave peak-setting events
- Install capacitors to correct power factor and cut billed kW
- Evaluate primary-voltage service for the 3% energy discount
- Engage UCS Business Development (817-782-8326) for a rate review
Mid-size commercial (three-phase, <700 kW)
Control the highest 15-minute demand and correct power factor on the General Service three-phase schedule.
Demand at $7.75/kW plus the 80% summer ratchet means peak control yields year-round savings; energy is $0.052874/kWh secondary.
- Stagger large equipment to flatten 15-minute peaks
- Prioritize summer peak reduction due to the ratchet
- Pull Green Button data to verify load-shifting results
Very large / special-contract load
Negotiate a Large Power Contract and take service at transmission/primary voltage.
For very large loads, a special-term contract (at the cooperative's discretion) can offer better terms than the standard schedules; published facilities charge is $65.00/meter for <700 kVA.
- Engage UCS Business Development early to scope contract terms
- Model transmission/primary-voltage service options
- Negotiate demand and energy terms tied to your load profile
Multi-site data automation
Automate interval and billing data collection via Green Button OAuth or the SmartHub API.
UCS supports Green Button (download and OAuth) plus a community SmartHub API, enabling automated 15-minute data collection across a portfolio without manual PDF handling.
- Use Green Button OAuth for sanctioned, revocable app access
- Use the community SmartHub API for programmatic 15-minute pulls
- Engage Nectar for combined billing + usage feeds (docs.nectarclimate.com)
Historical Rate Trends
UCS base C&I rates derive from its tariff revised January 21, 2022. Month-to-month bill variation is driven primarily by the Power Cost Recovery Factor (PCRF) and Securitized Charges Recovery Factor (SCRF), both of which adjust monthly with wholesale power costs from the Brazos Electric system.
January 21, 2022
Tariff revised, setting current C&I facilities, demand, and energy charges for three-phase and large power schedules.
n/aJune 1, 2026
Power Cost Recovery Factor (PCRF) and Securitized Charges Recovery Factor (SCRF) adjusted monthly per tariff sections 203.1 and 203.2.
n/aOverall trend: Base tariff stable since Jan 2022; monthly PCRF/SCRF fluctuate with wholesale power costs.
Next expected change: Monthly PCRF/SCRF updates; next base tariff revision date not publicly announced.
Cost Optimization Strategies
UCS C&I bills are demand-driven, with the demand charge set on the highest power-factor-adjusted 15-minute kW and a minimum billed demand tied to summer peaks. The biggest levers are peak demand reduction, power factor correction, and choosing the right schedule based on load factor.
Summer Peak Demand Reduction
For: All three-phase C&I accounts
Because minimum billed demand is 80% of the highest May-October peak, shaving summer peaks lowers demand charges for the rest of the year, not just the peak month.
Power Factor Correction
For: Accounts with motor/inductive loads
Demand is adjusted for power factor (section 203.4), so correcting low power factor with capacitors directly reduces billed kW.
Schedule Selection by Load Factor
For: Loads near 700 kW
The ≥700 kW schedule trades a higher demand charge for a lower energy rate; high-load-factor facilities near the 700 kW boundary should model both schedules to pick the cheaper.
Primary-Voltage Service Discount
For: Large facilities able to take primary service
Taking service at primary distribution voltage earns a 3% energy discount; facilities able to own/operate transformation should evaluate it.
Interval Data Analytics
For: All smart-metered accounts
Use SmartHub Green Button 15-minute data to pinpoint peak-setting events and validate efficiency or load-shifting measures.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download United Cooperative Services interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get 15-minute interval data for my UCS commercial facility?▾
Yes. UCS uses the NISC SmartHub platform, which supports 15-minute interval data for smart-metered accounts. You can view it in Usage Explorer and download it via Green Button Download My Data (ESPI XML) for up to about 14 months. A community-maintained SmartHub API can also pull the same data programmatically with your credentials.
How does a consultant or solar provider get authorized access to our data?▾
Two sanctioned paths: (1) Green Button OAuth — the member logs into SmartHub and authorizes your application to pull interval data, revocable anytime; or (2) the member downloads the Green Button XML and shares the file directly. Nectar can also collect billing and usage data with member authorization — see docs.nectarclimate.com.
Why can't we choose a competitive retail provider even though UCS is in ERCOT?▾
Texas electric cooperatives may opt out of retail competition, and UCS has not opted in. As a member-owned cooperative it provides bundled delivery and energy, sourcing wholesale power through the Brazos Electric system. So unlike investor-owned utilities in deregulated ERCOT zones, UCS members buy energy from the cooperative and its board sets rates.
What drives our demand charges, and how is summer treated differently?▾
Demand charges apply to your highest 15-minute kW in the billing period, adjusted for power factor ($7.75/kW under 700 kW, $8.36/kW at or above 700 kW). Critically, your minimum billed demand is 80% of your highest May-October peak, so a single summer spike can inflate demand charges for months. Managing summer peaks and correcting power factor are the top cost levers.
Should a large facility be on the under-700 kW or 700 kW-plus schedule?▾
The ≥700 kW Industrial schedule has a lower energy rate ($0.044019/kWh secondary vs. $0.052874/kWh) but a higher demand charge ($8.36 vs. $7.75/kW). High-load-factor facilities benefit from the lower energy rate, while spiky loads may prefer the lower demand rate. Facilities near 700 kW should model both, and consider the 3% primary-voltage discount.
Does UCS support EDI for retail/trading-partner transactions?▾
Yes, for the Texas retail market UCS follows Texas SET standards using ANSI X12 v4.0A over NAESB EDM 1.6, supporting transactions such as 814 (enrollment), 867 (usage), 810 (invoice), 820 (remittance), and 997 (acknowledgment). EDI is for retail providers/trading partners, not direct member access; members use SmartHub. Contact Business Development (817-782-8326) to enroll.
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