Dakota Electric Association Rate Selection Guide
Dakota Electric Association is a member-owned electric cooperative serving roughly 117,000 accounts in the south Twin Cities metro of Minnesota. Data access runs through the MyDEA portal (launched February 2026), backed by NISC SmartHub with near-complete AMI smart-meter coverage capable of 15-minute interval data.
Dakota Electric Association Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 41 - Small General Service | commercial | $15.00/mo fixed; energy $0.1234-$0.1374/kWh (no demand charge) | Small commercial loads with modest, steady usage |
| Schedule 46 - General Service | commercial | $37.00/mo fixed; demand $10.66-$13.76/kW; tiered energy $0.058-$0.078/kWh | General commercial/industrial with meaningful demand |
| Schedule 54 - Optional Time-of-Day | commercial | $39.00/mo fixed; peak demand $13.67-$26.14/kW; energy $0.0521/kWh | Members able to shift load to the wide off-peak window |
Market Overview
Minnesota retail electricity is regulated with no retail choice for co-op members. Dakota Electric is a not-for-profit cooperative rate-regulated by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. C&I members take service on cooperative tariff rates.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Dakota Electric Association Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Dakota Electric C&I rates pair fixed monthly charges with demand and energy charges; demand is determined on the greatest 15-minute demand each month. Rates below are from the Commercial Interim Rate Book effective March 1, 2025 (MN PUC docket E-111/M-24-400). Schedule 41 is energy-only small general service; Schedule 46 adds demand plus tiered energy; Schedule 54 is an optional time-of-day rate; Schedule 57 is a pilot non-residential EV rate.
Effective: March 1, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 41 - Small General Service | commercial | Small non-residential service (energy-only, no demand charge). | Fixed Charge $15.00/mo; Energy Summer (Jun-Aug) $0.1374/kWh, Other $0.1234/kWh. Plus RTA and applicable taxes. | — |
| Schedule 46 - General Service | commercial | Non-residential general service (except irrigation); 12-month minimum on the schedule. | Fixed Charge $37.00/mo; Demand Summer (Jun-Aug) $13.76/kW, Other (Sep-May) $10.66/kW; Energy tiered $0.0780 (first 200 kWh/kW), $0.0680 (next 200), $0.0580 (over 400) per kWh. | — |
| Schedule 54 - General Service Optional Time-of-Day | commercial | Optional time-of-day rate for general service members. | Fixed Charge $39.00/mo; Peak-period Demand Summer $26.14/kW, Winter $19.91/kW, Other $13.67/kW; Maximum Demand $5.25/kW; Energy $0.0521/kWh. Off-peak 11 PM-4 PM plus holidays/weekends. | — |
| Schedule 57 - Pilot Non-Residential EV Service | ev | Pilot rate for non-residential electric-vehicle charging load. | Energy On-Peak $0.2706/kWh, Off-Peak $0.0689/kWh, Other $0.1137/kWh. On-peak 4-9 PM weekdays; off-peak 9 PM-8 AM and weekends/holidays. | — |
| Schedule 70/71 - Interruptible Service | industrial | Larger C&I load accepting full (70) or partial (71) interruptible load control. | Fixed Charge $130.00/mo; Demand Summer $26.14/kW, Winter $19.91/kW, Other $13.67/kW; Non-Coincidental Demand $5.25/kW; Energy $0.0521/kWh; Failure-to-Control / Excess Demand $5.00/kW. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial facility, steady load
Stay on Schedule 41 (energy-only) and avoid demand charges; monitor monthly usage in MyDEA.
Schedule 41 has no demand charge, so small steady loads avoid demand exposure entirely.
- Watch summer energy at $0.1374/kWh vs $0.1234/kWh other months
- Reassess if peak demand grows enough to make Schedule 46 cheaper
General commercial/industrial with real demand
Take Schedule 46 and run active peak-demand management; correct power factor to avoid penalties.
Schedule 46 summer demand is $13.76/kW; managing the 15-minute peak and power factor drives savings. Schedule 54 can win if load shifts to its wide off-peak window.
- Use 15-minute interval data to find and shave coincident peaks
- Keep power factor at or above 90% to avoid billing-demand gross-up
Energy/sustainability team needing interval data
Plan for manual data delivery or the unofficial SmartHub API tool, since there is no Green Button or official API.
Dakota Electric has no Green Button/API, so 15-minute data comes from a Member Services request or the community electric-usage-downloader tool.
- Set up a Member Services data-delivery arrangement with written authorization
- For automation, evaluate electric-usage-downloader using the member's own credentials
Historical Rate Trends
Dakota Electric's current C&I rates are interim rates effective March 1, 2025 under MN PUC docket E-111/M-24-400, succeeding base rates from the E-111/GR-19-478 rate case (effective 10/1/20). Cooperative rates change through MN PUC rate-case and interim-rate filings.
March 1, 2025
Commercial interim rates took effect under MN PUC docket E-111/M-24-400.
n/aOctober 1, 2020
Prior base rates effective from the E-111/GR-19-478 rate case.
n/aOverall trend: Interim rate increase effective 3/1/2025 pending final MN PUC rate-case resolution.
Next expected change: Upon MN PUC final order in the pending rate case; no specific date published.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because Dakota Electric bills demand on the greatest 15-minute demand with a 90% power-factor floor, C&I members save most by managing peak demand, correcting power factor, and choosing the right schedule with interval data.
Manage 15-minute peak demand
For: Schedule 46, 54, and interruptible members
Demand is set by the single greatest 15-minute interval each month. Staggering startups and shaving coincident peaks on Schedule 46/54 (summer demand up to $13.76-$26.14/kW) directly cuts the demand charge.
Correct power factor
For: All demand-billed C&I members
Demand for billing is grossed up when average power factor falls below 90%. Keeping power factor near unity avoids a billing-demand penalty.
Match the schedule to the load
For: All C&I members
Schedule 41 (energy-only) suits small steady loads; Schedule 46 fits demand-driven loads; Schedule 54's low $0.0521/kWh energy rewards members who can shift into its wide off-peak window; 70/71 add load-management value.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Dakota Electric Association interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a C&I member get 15-minute interval data from Dakota Electric?▾
Dakota Electric's advanced meters record 15-minute demand intervals, but the MyDEA portal mainly shows daily/monthly views. To get granular data, contact Member Services (651-463-6212) to request it, or use the community electric-usage-downloader tool with your own MyDEA credentials. There is no Green Button option.
Does Dakota Electric offer Green Button or a public API?▾
No. Dakota Electric is not in the Green Button Alliance directory and offers no Download My Data, Connect My Data, or official developer API. Backend SmartHub (NISC) could support Green Button, but it has not been activated.
Which Dakota Electric rate applies to my commercial facility?▾
Most non-residential load takes Schedule 41 (Small General Service, energy-only) or Schedule 46 (General Service, demand + tiered energy). Schedule 54 is an optional time-of-day rate, and Schedules 70/71 are interruptible/load-management options. Rates below reflect the interim rate book effective 3/1/2025.
Is Dakota Electric regulated or deregulated?▾
Minnesota is a regulated market with no retail choice for co-op members. Dakota Electric is a member-owned cooperative rate-regulated by the Minnesota PUC. C&I members cannot shop for a competitive supplier.
How is demand billed on Dakota Electric C&I rates?▾
Schedule 46 and the time-of-day/interruptible schedules bill demand on the greatest 15-minute demand during the month, subject to a 90% power-factor adjustment. Interval data lets C&I members verify demand charges and manage peaks.
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