Flathead Electric Cooperative Rate Selection Guide
Flathead Electric Cooperative is Montana's largest electric cooperative, a member-owned utility serving roughly 76,000 meters across the Flathead Valley with low-cost, predominantly hydroelectric power from the Bonneville Power Administration. Member energy data is available through the NISC SmartHub portal, Green Button XML downloads, and a public 15-minute demand lookup tool.
Flathead Electric Cooperative Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small General Service | commercial | $0.06634/kWh + $1.56/kW demand | Small shops, offices under 50 kW |
| Medium General Service | commercial | $0.05545/kWh + $3.88/kW demand | Mid-size commercial 50-100 kW |
| Large General Service | commercial | $0.05049/kWh + $4.72/kW demand + $1.34/kW load size | Large commercial 100-400 kW |
| Extra Large General Service | commercial | Seasonal TOU energy + $6.12/kW demand | Very large facilities 400-1,000 kW |
| Industrial Service | industrial | Seasonal TOU energy + $6.23/kW demand | Industrial loads 1,000 kW+ |
Market Overview
Flathead Electric is a member-owned, self-regulated cooperative. It is not subject to Montana PSC rate regulation and offers no retail electric supply competition; members receive bundled service and rates set by an elected Board of Trustees.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Flathead Electric Cooperative Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Rates effective June 1, 2026 (Northwest Montana service area), reflecting an overall 5.5% increase approved by the Board. Commercial classes are sized by demand. Dollar figures below are taken from FEC's published rate summary. A separate South Central Montana schedule carries higher energy and demand rates.
Effective: June 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small General Service (SGS01) | commercial | Non-residential services less than 50 kW | Basic Charge $36.53/mo single-phase ($51.87 three-phase); Demand Charge $1.56/kW (time-of-day period); Energy Charge $0.06634/kWh. | — |
| Medium General Service (MGS01) | commercial | Non-residential services 50 kW to less than 100 kW | Basic Charge $38.47/mo single-phase ($53.09 three-phase); Demand Charge $3.88/kW; Energy Charge $0.05545/kWh; Reactive Power $1.29/kVAR; Primary Voltage Discount -1.5% of bill and -$0.15/kW. | — |
| Large General Service (LGS01) | commercial | Non-residential services 100 kW to less than 400 kW | Basic Charge $64.24/mo; Load Size Charge $1.34/kW; Demand Charge $4.72/kW; Energy Charge $0.05049/kWh; Reactive Power $1.29/kVAR; Primary Voltage Discount -1.5% and -$0.15/kW. | — |
| Extra Large General Service (XGS01) | commercial | Non-residential services 400 kW to less than 1,000 kW | Basic Charge $107.28/mo; Load Size $1.61/kW; Demand $6.12/kW; seasonal TOU energy: Winter On-Peak $0.06882, Summer On-Peak $0.05456, Winter Mid-Peak $0.03997, Winter Off-Peak $0.03546, Summer Off-Peak $0.03727 per kWh; Reactive Power $1.29/kVAR; Primary Voltage Discount applies. | — |
| Industrial Service (IND01) | industrial | Services 1,000 kW or greater | Basic Charge $350.81/mo; Load Size $1.67/kW; Demand $6.23/kW; seasonal TOU energy: Winter On-Peak $0.07011, Summer On-Peak $0.05558, Winter Mid-Peak $0.04073, Winter Off-Peak $0.03613, Summer Off-Peak $0.03796 per kWh; Reactive Power $1.29/kVAR; Primary Voltage Discount applies. | — |
| Irrigation Service (IRR01) | agricultural | Irrigation services 50 kW or greater | Annual Charge $561.55/yr; Demand $5.98/kW; seasonal TOU energy: Winter On-Peak $0.08285, Summer On-Peak $0.06567, Winter Mid-Peak $0.04811, Winter Off-Peak $0.04270, Summer Off-Peak $0.04488 per kWh. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial facility (50-100 kW)
Offices, retail, and light commercial in the Medium General Service band.
MGS01 carries a moderate $3.88/kW demand charge and $0.05545/kWh energy; managing peak demand is the primary lever.
- Track 15-minute demand via the lookup tool
- Stagger HVAC and equipment startups
- Correct power factor to avoid kVAR charges
Large commercial / institutional (100-400 kW)
Larger campuses, manufacturing, and institutional loads.
LGS01 adds a $1.34/kW load-size charge plus $4.72/kW demand; primary-voltage service unlocks an additional discount.
- Evaluate primary-voltage metering for the -1.5% / -$0.15/kW discount
- Flatten demand peaks
- Pursue efficiency rebates and on-bill financing
Very large / industrial load (400 kW+)
Industrial plants and 400 kW+ facilities on seasonal TOU pricing.
These classes use seasonal time-of-day energy rates and demand charges of $6.12-$6.23/kW, so off-peak load shifting compounds savings on both energy and demand.
- Shift production to off-peak and mid-peak windows
- Avoid winter on-peak energy (highest seasonal rate)
- Optimize power factor and take primary voltage
Historical Rate Trends
Flathead Electric adjusts rates annually around June 1 to reflect wholesale power and operating costs, while remaining well below state and national averages (residential ~9.66 cents/kWh).
June 1, 2024
Overall rate adjustment of 2.8%.
+2.8%June 1, 2025
Overall rate adjustment of 3.6%.
+3.6%June 1, 2026
Overall 5.5% increase reflecting rising wholesale power and operational costs.
+5.5%Overall trend: Modest annual increases tracking wholesale power costs.
Next expected change: Next annual adjustment expected around June 1, 2027.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because larger Flathead classes bill on demand and seasonal time-of-day energy, the biggest savings come from peak management and voltage-level optimization.
Shift load off peak
For: XGS01, IND01, and demand-billed MGS/LGS members
Move discretionary load out of peak windows to cut demand charges and capture lower off-peak/mid-peak seasonal energy rates on XGS and Industrial schedules.
Take service at primary voltage
For: MGS01, LGS01, XGS01, IND01
Members metered at primary voltage receive a -1.5% total-bill discount and -$0.15/kW, which can offset the cost of owning transformation equipment.
Correct power factor
For: MGS01 and larger
Avoid the $1.29/kVAR reactive power charge by maintaining good power factor with capacitor banks or VFDs.
Use efficiency rebates
For: All commercial members
Apply for commercial efficiency rebates and on-bill financing to reduce both consumption and billed demand.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Flathead Electric Cooperative interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a commercial member pull interval data for energy analysis?▾
Log in to SmartHub and use the Usage Explorer to download up to 14 months of Green Button (ESPI XML) interval data. For 15-minute demand specifically, use the public 15-Minute Demand Lookup Tool. For bulk or recurring exports, contact Energy Services at (406) 751-1834.
Does Flathead Electric support automated third-party data access (Green Button Connect or an API)?▾
No automated Green Button Connect My Data or public API is documented. Third parties such as energy managers or aggregators must arrange access directly with the co-op, typically via signed member authorization, or have the member download and forward Green Button files.
Which rate schedule applies to my business?▾
Schedules are sized by demand: Small General Service (under 50 kW), Medium General Service (50 to under 100 kW), Large General Service (100 to under 400 kW), Extra Large General Service (400 to under 1,000 kW), and Industrial Service (1,000 kW and above). Larger classes carry separate demand and load-size charges plus time-of-day energy pricing.
How do demand charges work for C&I members?▾
Medium and larger general-service classes bill a per-kW demand charge based on metered peak demand. Extra Large General Service and Industrial classes also use seasonal time-of-day energy rates (winter/summer on-, mid-, and off-peak), so shifting load off peak reduces both energy and demand costs.
Is there a discount for taking service at primary voltage?▾
Yes. Medium, Large, Extra Large General Service, and Industrial classes receive a Primary Voltage Delivery Discount of -1.5% of the total bill and -$0.15 per kW for members metered at primary voltage.
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