Cascade Natural Gas Corporation Rate Selection Guide
Cascade Natural Gas Corporation is an MDU Resources investor-owned local distribution company serving roughly 147,555 natural gas customers across Washington and Oregon. Cascade uses monthly-read AMR metering (no AMI/interval data) and offers billing access via an online portal, ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager integration, and authorization forms — but no Green Button, public API, or EDI.
Cascade Natural Gas Corporation Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 504 — General Service | Commercial | Basic charge + tiered per-therm delivery (see tariff) + WACOG | Typical commercial/business accounts |
| Schedule 505 — General Industrial | Industrial | $130/mo + $0.27398/$0.22683/$0.21971 per therm tiers + WACOG (eff. 3/1/2026) | Industrial sites with all-purpose gas use |
| Schedule 511 — Large Volume | Industrial | $350/mo + $0.22323/$0.17511/$0.05606 per therm tiers + WACOG (eff. 3/1/2026) | High-volume sites (50,000+ therms/yr) |
| Transportation (e.g. 663) | Industrial | Distribution/transportation charges only; customer self-supplies gas | Large users self-procuring gas supply |
Market Overview
Cascade Natural Gas is a regulated investor-owned local distribution company. Washington rates are set by the WUTC and Oregon rates by the OPUC through general rate cases; Cascade currently operates under a multi-year rate plan. Typical commercial and residential customers have no supplier choice and take bundled sales service. Large-volume and industrial customers may self-procure gas supply and use Cascade transportation service.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Cascade Natural Gas Corporation Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Cascade's Washington C&I rates were updated under a two-year rate plan, with the second-year step effective March 1, 2026 (WUTC-approved overall increase of $10.8M / 2.64% in year two; a typical commercial customer at 277 therms/month sees roughly +$8.18/month in year two). Bills combine a fixed Basic Service Charge, tiered per-therm Delivery Charges, and a pass-through Gas Cost (WACOG, Schedule 590), plus various Schedule 500 adjustments. Verified per-therm figures below are from Cascade's filed Washington tariff sheets effective March 1, 2026. Schedule 504 (general commercial) and transportation/interruptible schedules are described qualitatively; consult the tariff book for exact 504 figures.
Effective: March 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 504 — General Service (Commercial) | commercial | General commercial/business customers in Washington not qualifying for large-volume or industrial schedules. | Monthly Basic Service Charge plus tiered per-therm Delivery Charge, plus pass-through Gas Cost (WACOG, Schedule 590) and Schedule 500 adjustments. Specific 504 per-therm figures published in the filed tariff sheet (Sheet No. 504); consult the tariff book for exact current values. | — |
| Schedule 505 — General Industrial Service | industrial | Industrial customers throughout the Washington territory taking gas for all purposes through one or more separately billed meters. | Effective March 1, 2026 (filed WA tariff): Basic Service Charge $130.00/month. Delivery Charge — first 500 therms $0.27398/therm; next 3,500 therms $0.22683/therm; over 4,000 therms $0.21971/therm. Plus pass-through Gas Cost (WACOG, Schedule 590) and Schedule 500 adjustments. Minimum bill = basic service charge. | — |
| Schedule 511 — Large Volume General Service | industrial | Customers with an annual fuel requirement of at least 50,000 therms; requires a service agreement with an annual minimum quantity. | Effective March 1, 2026 (filed WA tariff): Basic Service Charge $350.00/month. Delivery Charge — first 20,000 therms $0.22323/therm; next 80,000 therms $0.17511/therm; over 100,000 therms $0.05606/therm. Plus pass-through Gas Cost (WACOG, Schedule 590) and Schedule 500 adjustments. Annual deficiency bill applies if purchases fall below the 50,000-therm minimum. | — |
| Transportation Service (e.g., Schedule 663) | industrial | Large-volume/industrial customers who self-procure their own natural gas supply and use Cascade only for distribution (transportation) of customer-owned gas. | Customer arranges gas supply directly with a marketer; Cascade bills distribution/transportation charges only (no Gas Cost/WACOG component). Per-therm transportation rates and terms are set in the filed transportation tariff sheets; coordinated through the Industrial Services Manager. Consult the tariff book for current figures. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large industrial site (50,000+ therms/yr)
High-volume industrial users should compare Schedule 511 Large Volume General Service against Schedule 505 and evaluate self-supply transportation service.
Schedule 511's declining blocks reach $0.05606/therm over 100,000 therms (eff. 3/1/2026), far below Schedule 505's floor of $0.21971/therm. Self-supply additionally removes the WACOG markup. Both routes require a service agreement and coordination with the Industrial Services Manager.
- Confirm your annual therms exceed the 50,000-therm minimum before committing to 511 (annual deficiency bill applies)
- Model WACOG separately — it is a pass-through and shouldn't drive schedule choice
- Engage the Industrial Services Manager early for transportation setup
Mid-size commercial / industrial facility
Facilities below the large-volume threshold should confirm whether Schedule 504 (general commercial) or Schedule 505 (industrial) yields the lower effective $/therm at their usage.
Schedule 505 offers declining delivery tiers ($0.27398 to $0.21971/therm eff. 3/1/2026) that favor steadier, higher-volume use; lighter or more seasonal commercial loads may fare better on 504. Verify exact 504 figures in the tariff book before switching.
- Pull 12 months of therm history from the portal to model both schedules
- Account for the higher $130/mo basic on 505 vs the 504 basic charge
- Re-check after each annual rate step (next 3/1/2026)
Multi-site portfolio / sustainability team
Portfolio operators should automate monthly whole-building data via ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and centralize agent access through authorization forms.
With no API or Green Button, Portfolio Manager's automatic monthly feed (up to 36 months of history) is the most scalable data path for benchmarking and Washington Clean Buildings compliance across many Cascade accounts.
- File one Cascade Utility Data Release Form per building
- Invite your energy team as Portfolio Manager collaborators
- Use aggregated/anonymized data requests for portfolio-wide studies
Historical Rate Trends
Cascade filed a general rate case settled by the WUTC into a two-year rate plan. The plan delivered a first-year revenue increase followed by a smaller second-year step effective March 1, 2026.
March 1, 2026
Year-two step of the WUTC-approved two-year rate plan: overall revenue increase of $10.8M (2.64%); a typical commercial customer at 277 therms/month sees roughly +$8.18/month.
+2.64%March 1, 2025
Year-one step of the two-year rate plan; larger first-year increase (a typical commercial customer at 277 therms/month saw roughly +$23.55/month).
+8% (approx., yr 1)Overall trend: Increasing — modest, multi-year managed step increases driven by infrastructure investment and cost recovery.
Next expected change: Following the year-two step (3/1/2026), the next base-rate change would come via a future general rate case; WACOG (gas cost) adjusts periodically via Schedule 590.
Cost Optimization Strategies
For Cascade C&I customers, the largest savings come from matching the rate schedule to actual annual volume and, for the biggest users, removing the WACOG markup via self-supply transportation. Operational efficiency (reducing therms) compounds these structural savings.
Right-size your rate schedule
For: Mid-to-large commercial and industrial sites
Tiered delivery charges decline steeply with volume. A site consuming 50,000+ therms/year on a general schedule should evaluate moving to Schedule 511 Large Volume General Service, whose top tier drops to $0.05606/therm (eff. 3/1/2026) versus $0.21971/therm on Schedule 505.
Self-supply gas via transportation service
For: High-volume industrial customers with supply-procurement capability
Large users can procure their own gas from a marketer and pay Cascade only distribution/transportation charges, removing the WACOG pass-through markup. Coordinate with the Industrial Services Manager.
Benchmark with Portfolio Manager
For: Commercial buildings subject to or pursuing benchmarking
Use Cascade's free monthly Portfolio Manager data feed to benchmark whole-building gas intensity, target efficiency projects, and meet Washington Clean Buildings compliance.
Capture C&I efficiency rebates
For: C&I customers undertaking efficiency upgrades
Cascade offers Washington commercial/industrial conservation incentives (HVAC, boilers, insulation) through its rebate program and Trade Ally network, lowering project payback.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Cascade Natural Gas Corporation interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my business pull Cascade gas usage into an energy management system automatically?▾
Not via API or Green Button — Cascade offers neither. The most automated path for commercial buildings is the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager integration, which delivers monthly whole-building therms automatically after each billing cycle (up to 36 months of history). For anything else, you rely on PDF statements from the portal or a one-time aggregated/anonymized data export request.
Does Cascade provide interval (hourly or 15-minute) gas data for C&I load analysis?▾
No. Cascade uses monthly-read AMR (ERT) metering, not AMI. Only monthly therm totals are available. If you need granular load shapes, you would need to install your own sub-metering or data loggers downstream of the utility meter.
How does a consultant or energy manager get authorized access to our account?▾
Have the account holder complete the Customer's Agent Authorization Form (for portal access) or invite the consultant as a collaborator in Portfolio Manager and file the Cascade Utility Data Release Form. Note the Agent Authorization Form is NOT available for accounts on interruptible or transportation rate schedules — those require coordinating directly with the Industrial Services Manager.
Are there transportation or large-volume options for high-usage industrial sites?▾
Yes. Customers with an annual requirement of at least 50,000 therms can take Large Volume General Service (Schedule 511), and industrial customers can take General Industrial Service (Schedule 505). High-volume customers may also arrange their own gas supply and use Cascade transportation service. These accounts work with the Industrial Services Manager rather than standard self-service channels.
How far back can we get historical usage for benchmarking or M&V?▾
The customer portal shows roughly 13+ months of comparison graphs. For longer history, Portfolio Manager and the aggregated/anonymized data request form both provide up to 36 months of monthly usage.
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