Public Utility District No. 1 of Cowlitz County Rate Selection Guide
Public Utility District No. 1 of Cowlitz County (Cowlitz PUD) is a consumer-owned public power utility serving ~53,716 electric customers in southwest Washington. Backed by low-cost Bonneville hydropower, it offers some of the nation's lowest industrial rates and serves several large primary- and transmission-voltage industrial loads. Customer data is available through the SmartHub portal with Green Button Download.
Public Utility District No. 1 of Cowlitz County Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 5 (General Service) | commercial | $3.55/day basic + $8.85/kW + $0.0565/kWh | Commercial/industrial sites under 1,000 kW |
| Schedule 8 (Large Industrial, primary) | industrial | $9.37/day basic + $9.26/kW + $0.0542/kWh | Primary-voltage industrial loads over 1,000 kW |
| Schedule 9 (Large Commercial, transmission) | industrial | $16.44/day basic + $4.15/kW + $0.0475/kWh | Very large loads that can take transmission-voltage delivery |
Market Overview
Washington does not have retail electric choice for public utility district customers. Cowlitz PUD is a consumer-owned political subdivision governed by an elected board of commissioners and is not rate-regulated by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) in the manner of investor-owned utilities. Rates are set locally by the PUD board via resolution. There is no competitive supplier market; all customers take bundled service from the PUD. Wholesale power is sourced primarily from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), which underpins the district's low hydro-based rates.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Public Utility District No. 1 of Cowlitz County Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Cowlitz PUD's bundled retail rates took effect October 1, 2025 (board resolution). C&I service is taken on General Service Schedule 5 (under 1,000 kW), Schedule 8 (Large Industrial, primary voltage, over 1,000 kW), or Schedule 9 (Large Commercial, transmission voltage, over 1,000 kW). Backed by BPA hydropower, energy charges are among the lowest in the U.S. Basic charges are billed per day.
Effective: October 1, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service Schedule 5 | commercial | Commercial/industrial loads served through a single meter expected to require less than 1,000 kW of billing demand (secondary voltage, single and 3-phase). | Basic charge $3.55/day; demand charge $8.85/kW; energy charge $0.0565/kWh (effective 10/1/2025). | — |
| Schedule 8 — Large Industrial Primary Voltage Delivery | industrial | Industrial loads served through a single meter and one point of delivery expected to require in excess of 1,000 kW of billing demand at primary voltage (3-phase). | Basic charge $9.37/day; demand charge $9.26/kW; energy charge $0.0542/kWh (effective 10/1/2025). | — |
| Schedule 9 — Large Commercial Transmission Voltage Delivery | industrial | Large commercial/industrial loads served through a single meter expected to require in excess of 1,000 kW of billing demand at transmission voltage (3-phase). | Basic charge $16.44/day; demand charge $4.15/kW; energy charge $0.0475/kWh (effective 10/1/2025). | — |
| Direct Access Delivery Charge — Transmission Voltage (Schedule 62) | industrial | Delivery (wires) charge component applicable to large transmission-voltage direct-access arrangements where applicable. | Delivery/transmission-voltage charge schedule (effective 10/1/2025); see tariff for component rates. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large primary-voltage manufacturer
A primary-voltage industrial plant over 1,000 kW taking Schedule 8.
Schedule 8 is the standard schedule for primary-voltage industrial loads above 1,000 kW. With a $9.26/kW demand charge, controlling peak demand is the dominant cost lever; evaluate whether transmission-voltage Schedule 9 is feasible for additional savings.
- Export Green Button interval data to find 15-minute peaks
- Stage large motor starts to flatten demand
- Model a move to Schedule 9 if transmission-voltage service is feasible
Very large transmission-voltage load
A very large industrial load able to take delivery at transmission voltage.
At $4.15/kW demand and $0.0475/kWh, Schedule 9 is the lowest-cost option for demand-heavy loads that can accept transmission-voltage delivery, despite the higher $16.44/day basic charge.
- Confirm transmission-voltage interconnection feasibility
- Right-size on-site transformation equipment
- Use interval data to verify demand savings vs. Schedule 8
Mid-size commercial / light industrial
A commercial or light-industrial site under 1,000 kW of billing demand.
Schedule 5 covers C&I loads under 1,000 kW at secondary voltage. At $8.85/kW demand and $0.0565/kWh, demand management still matters; sites approaching 1,000 kW should plan voltage/schedule strategy as they grow.
- Track demand to anticipate crossing the 1,000 kW threshold
- Pursue efficiency incentives to trim peak kW
- Monitor interval data monthly via SmartHub
Historical Rate Trends
After holding rates flat for roughly seven years, Cowlitz PUD's board approved a rate increase that took effect October 1, 2025, driven largely by rising BPA wholesale power costs.
October 1, 2025
Board-approved general rate increase across schedules (first increase in ~7 years), reflecting higher BPA wholesale power costs. Current C&I Schedules 5, 8, and 9 took effect on this date.
~+5%Overall trend: Stable for years, then a single increase effective 10/1/2025.
Next expected change: Future adjustments are set annually by board resolution around the October 1 effective cycle; monitor the Electric Rate Advisory Committee (ERAC) process.
Cost Optimization Strategies
For Cowlitz PUD C&I customers, the highest-impact strategies center on demand management and selecting the right voltage-level schedule, since demand charges and voltage drive most of the bill.
Take service at transmission voltage
For: Loads over 1,000 kW able to take transmission-voltage delivery
Qualifying very large loads on Schedule 9 pay $4.15/kW demand and $0.0475/kWh vs. $9.26/kW and $0.0542/kWh on Schedule 8 primary — a major saving on demand-heavy loads, offset by a higher daily basic charge and equipment requirements.
Peak demand shaving
For: All demand-billed C&I customers (Schedules 5, 8, 9)
Use interval data (Green Button) to identify and flatten 15-minute demand peaks via load scheduling, staging, or storage. Each kW of avoided peak saves the full $/kW demand charge.
Maintain power factor near unity
For: Industrial loads with motors/inductive equipment
Correct power factor to avoid demand penalties and reduce billed kW. Capacitor banks or equipment tuning keep effective demand low.
Capture BPA-funded efficiency incentives
For: All C&I customers
Use Cowlitz PUD's commercial/industrial efficiency programs to fund equipment upgrades that reduce both kWh and peak kW.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Public Utility District No. 1 of Cowlitz County interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a large industrial customer at Cowlitz PUD get interval data for energy management?▾
Use SmartHub's My Usage tab and the Green Button Download My Data button to export up to 14 months of usage as ESPI XML. There is no automated Connect My Data (CMD) feed, so ongoing third-party access typically means the customer exports Green Button files on a schedule and shares them, or grants written authorization for the PUD to provide data directly.
Which rate schedule applies to a large C&I site?▾
Loads expected to require less than 1,000 kW of billing demand take General Service Schedule 5. Loads over 1,000 kW take Schedule 8 (Large Industrial, primary voltage) or Schedule 9 (Large Commercial, transmission voltage), depending on delivery voltage. All are bundled rates set by the PUD board.
Can a third-party energy manager access our data through an API?▾
Not officially. Cowlitz PUD has no developer API, Share My Data portal, or aggregator integration. A reverse-engineered NISC SmartHub API exists but is unsupported and likely violates terms of service. Use customer-shared Green Button exports or a written authorization arrangement instead.
Does Cowlitz PUD support EDI for billing or meter data?▾
No EDI program is documented. As a consumer-owned PUD not regulated like an IOU, Cowlitz PUD has not published ANSI X12 transaction support. Contact Customer Service at (360) 423-2210 for any B2B data needs.
How current are the published C&I rates?▾
The current rate schedules took effect October 1, 2025 (adopted by PUD board resolution). Schedule 8 is $9.37/day basic, $9.26/kW demand, and $0.0542/kWh energy; Schedule 9 is $16.44/day basic, $4.15/kW demand, and $0.0475/kWh energy.
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