Cuivre River Electric Cooperative Rate Selection Guide
Cuivre River Electric Cooperative (CREC) is Missouri's largest electric distribution cooperative, serving more than 74,000 members across five eastern Missouri counties. Members access billing and daily usage data through a web portal and the MyCuivre app; CREC offers no Green Button, EDI, or public API, so programmatic third-party access typically runs through Nectar — see docs.nectarclimate.com.
Cuivre River Electric Cooperative Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule B-MT (3-Phase <75 kW) | Commercial | $2.25/day + $0.081–0.107/kWh | Small businesses under 75 kW with no demand charge |
| Schedule LP (over 75 kW) | Industrial | $9.75/kW + $0.0570/kWh | Mid-size facilities with demand 75–500 kW |
| Schedule LP (over 500 kW) | Industrial | $10.75/kW + $0.0535/kWh | Large facilities over 500 kW with steady load |
| Customized Large Industrial | Industrial | Negotiated | Large plants >500 kW with load factor >60% |
Market Overview
CREC is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative with no retail choice. The member-elected Board sets rates, and CREC is largely exempt from Missouri PSC rate regulation. Members purchase power directly from the cooperative.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Cuivre River Electric Cooperative Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
CREC's commercial and industrial rates range from small-commercial single-phase and three-phase schedules to Large Power demand schedules for loads above 75 kW and above 500 kW. Large industrial users with demand above 500 kW and load factor above 60% may qualify for customized rates. Verified figures below come from CREC's published commercial rate information; consult CREC for the latest tariff sheets.
Effective: January 1, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule B-PS – Small Commercial Single Phase (Non-Metered, Fixed Use) | commercial | Small single-phase commercial fixed-use loads. | Service availability $0.95 per day; Energy Charge $0.0720 per kWh. | $0.0720/kWh+ None |
| Schedule B-MT – Small Commercial Three Phase (under 75 kW) | commercial | Three-phase small commercial service under 75 kW. | Service availability $2.25 per day; Energy $0.1070/kWh first 3,000 kWh, $0.0810/kWh over 3,000 kWh. | $0.0810–$0.1070/kWh+ None (energy-block) |
| Schedule LP – Large Power Three Phase (over 75 kW) | industrial | Large power three-phase service over 75 kW. | Minimum $5.00 per kW (12-month max demand); Demand Charge $9.75 per kW (averaged seasonal demand); Energy $0.0570 per kWh. | $0.0570/kWh+ $9.75/kW |
| Schedule LP – Large Power Three Phase (over 500 kW) | industrial | Large power three-phase service over 500 kW. | Minimum $4.00 per kW (12-month max demand); Demand Charge $10.75 per kW (averaged seasonal demand); Energy $0.0535 per kWh. | $0.0535/kWh+ $10.75/kW |
| Customized Large Industrial Rate | industrial | Businesses with demand exceeding 500 kW and yearly load factor greater than 60%. | Negotiated/customized rate; contact CREC commercial services. Structure tailored to the load profile. | Customized (contact CREC)+ Customized |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial business (under 75 kW)
Office, retail, or shop on three-phase service under 75 kW.
B-MT has no demand charge — a $2.25/day service availability plus declining-block energy ($0.1070/kWh first 3,000 kWh, $0.0810 over) — which suits smaller, variable loads.
- Watch your monthly kWh; the over-3,000 kWh block is cheaper, so higher steady use lowers your average rate.
- Stay under 75 kW to avoid moving to demand-based Large Power.
Mid-size facility (75–500 kW demand)
Manufacturing or larger commercial sites with demand between 75 and 500 kW.
This schedule adds a $9.75/kW demand charge but drops energy to $0.0570/kWh. Managing seasonal peak demand is the primary cost lever.
- Limit coincident peaks with demand controls.
- Track averaged seasonal demand, not just instantaneous peaks.
- Improve load factor to dilute demand charges.
Large industrial plant (over 500 kW)
High-load industrial facilities exceeding 500 kW of demand.
The over-500 kW schedule lowers energy to $0.0535/kWh; sites with >60% load factor should pursue a customized rate for further savings.
- Maintain high, steady load factor (>60%) to qualify for customized pricing.
- Negotiate with CREC commercial services on the customized rate.
- Confirm demand tier matches your true peak.
Multi-site portfolio / energy advisor
Consultant or facilities team tracking several CREC accounts.
CREC has no public API, Green Button, or EDI, so Nectar's API is the practical route for automated, multi-account data; portal exports cover one-off needs.
- Onboard accounts through Nectar (docs.nectarclimate.com) for automated refresh.
- Use portal daily-usage views or request CSV exports as a fallback.
- Collect member authorizations rather than sharing credentials.
Cost-conscious member wanting daily visibility
Commercial member who wants near-real-time consumption tracking.
MyPower gives daily usage and balance tracking with alerts — the most granular self-service data CREC offers — useful for spotting peak drivers and budgeting.
- Set daily usage and low-balance alerts.
- Use daily trends to identify and trim peak consumption.
Historical Rate Trends
CREC has communicated rising power-supply costs to members over recent years, driving rate pressure. As a cooperative, rate changes are approved by the member-elected Board rather than the Missouri PSC. Specific historical percentage changes are not consistently published; CREC's member communications describe upward pressure from wholesale costs.
January 1, 2023
CREC implemented a rate adjustment communicated to members (Rate Adjustment 2023), reflecting rising power-supply costs.
Not specifiedOverall trend: Upward — CREC member notices cite rising wholesale power costs continuing to push rates higher.
Next expected change: Board-approved adjustments tied to wholesale power-supply costs; no fixed published schedule.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because CREC Large Power schedules carry demand charges based on averaged seasonal demand plus a 12-month maximum-demand minimum, C&I savings come from flattening peaks, raising load factor, and confirming you are on the right schedule (or qualify for a customized rate).
Peak demand management
For: Schedule LP (over 75 kW and over 500 kW)
Stagger large equipment startup and shave coincident peaks. Demand is billed on averaged seasonal demand with a minimum tied to 12-month maximum demand, so a high seasonal peak raises cost across the year.
Raise load factor
For: Large commercial and industrial members
Higher, steadier consumption spreads demand charges over more kWh and helps qualify for the over-500 kW schedule (lower energy rate) or a customized rate (>60% load factor).
Schedule and customized-rate review
For: Loads near or above 500 kW
Confirm your demand tier matches actual load, and if you exceed 500 kW with >60% load factor, pursue a customized large-industrial rate with CREC commercial services.
Daily usage monitoring
For: All commercial and industrial members
Use portal daily-usage views or MyPower to track consumption and catch anomalies early; pair with Nectar's API for automated multi-account data.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Cuivre River Electric Cooperative interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my business get interval (hourly or 15-minute) data from Cuivre River Electric Cooperative?▾
Not through self-service. CREC provides daily usage data via the member portal and the MyPower prepaid program, but hourly or 15-minute interval data is not standard. Commercial and industrial members can call (800) 392-3709 to request a custom data extract, which may take several business days.
Does CREC support Green Button, EDI, or a public API?▾
No. CREC has not implemented Green Button (Download or Connect My Data), is not in the Green Button Alliance directory, has no EDI trading-partner program, and offers no public API or developer portal. For automated access, Nectar provides API access to this utility's billing data — see docs.nectarclimate.com.
Which rate schedule applies to a commercial or industrial site on CREC?▾
Small three-phase businesses under 75 kW take Schedule B-MT ($2.25/day plus $0.1070/kWh first 3,000 kWh, $0.0810 over). Loads over 75 kW move to Large Power ($9.75/kW demand, $0.0570/kWh), and loads over 500 kW use the higher tier ($10.75/kW demand, $0.0535/kWh). Sites over 500 kW with >60% load factor may negotiate a customized rate.
How are CREC demand charges calculated?▾
Large Power demand charges are based on averaged seasonal demand, with a minimum tied to your 12-month maximum demand ($5.00/kW for the over-75 kW schedule, $4.00/kW for the over-500 kW schedule). Demand charges are $9.75/kW (over 75 kW) and $10.75/kW (over 500 kW), so seasonal peaks drive a meaningful share of the bill.
How can a consultant access CREC data on a customer's behalf?▾
The recommended method is Nectar: the customer authorizes access, and the consultant retrieves bills and usage via Nectar's API — see docs.nectarclimate.com. Alternatively, the customer can authorize sharing through CREC customer service. Avoid sharing portal credentials directly.
Can CREC members shop for a competitive electricity supplier?▾
No. Missouri does not offer retail electric choice to cooperative members. CREC is a member-owned cooperative; members buy power directly from CREC at Board-approved rates, and the cooperative is largely exempt from Missouri PSC rate regulation.
Automate Cuivre River Electric Cooperative Rate Analysis with Nectar
Nectar continuously monitors your Cuivre River Electric Cooperative rate options and alerts you when a better schedule is available. Save 10-30% on energy costs.
Nectar for Energy & Sustainability Teams
Managing utility costs for commercial or industrial buildings? Nectar offers a free rate analysis — we'll review your current rate schedules and identify where switching tariffs or shifting load can save 10-30%.
Get a Free Rate AnalysisNectar for Energy Brokers & Consultants
Advising clients on rate optimization? Nectar works with energy consultants who need reliable interval data and automated rate comparison tools.
Partner with Us