Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) Rate Selection Guide
Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) is an investor-owned electric and natural gas utility serving Dane County and surrounding areas of south-central Wisconsin. Regulated by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW), MGE offers commercial and industrial customers AMI smart-meter data, a MyMeter analytics dashboard, and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager integration, though it does not support Green Button, EDI, or a public API.
Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cg-5 | Small C&I (≤20 kW) | $0.78584/day + $0.03508/kWh distribution + $0.11631/kWh electricity | Small businesses and light commercial loads under 20 kW |
| Cg-4 | C&I TOU (20–200 kW) | $7.00/day + demand $0.08946/kW/day + on-peak demand up to $0.43932/kW/day + $0.07608/kWh base | Mid-size commercial with controllable peaks under 200 kW |
| Cg-2 | Large C&I TOU (>200 kW) | $15.00/day + demand $0.11248/kW/day + on-peak demand $0.49700 (S)/$0.41100 (W) per kW/day + $0.07156/kWh base | Large facilities; mandatory above 200 kW |
| Cg-6 | Large high load factor (>1,000 kW) | $30.00/day + demand $0.11400/kW/day + on-peak demand $0.50366 (S)/$0.41241 (W) per kW/day + $0.06999/kWh base | Very large, high-load-factor industrial sites over 1,000 kW |
Market Overview
Wisconsin is a fully regulated energy market. MGE is the sole electric and gas distribution and default supply provider in its territory, with all rates approved by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW). Commercial and industrial customers do not have competitive retail supplier choice; service is bundled under PSCW tariffs.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
MGE's C&I electric rates are PSCW-approved time-of-use tariffs effective January 1, 2026 (issued 12/30/2025 under file 3270-UR-126). Rate class is set by demand: Cg-5 (≤20 kW), Cg-4 (20–200 kW), Cg-2 (>200 kW, mandatory), and Cg-6 (>1,000 kW high load factor). All large C&I schedules combine a daily grid connection/customer service charge, per-kW-per-day demand charges, and per-kWh energy charges with summer/winter and on-peak adders. Overall electric rates rose about 0.15% and natural gas rates about 2.77% effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cg-5 — Small Commercial & Industrial Lighting and Power | commercial | Demand of 20 kW or less. | Grid connection and customer service charge $0.78584/day; distribution service $0.03508/kWh; electricity charge $0.11631/kWh. Minimum charge is the grid connection/customer service charge. (Effective 01/01/2026.) | — |
| Cg-4 — Commercial & Industrial Time-of-Use | commercial | Demand greater than 20 kW and up to 200 kW. | Grid connection/customer service $7.00/day; distribution demand $0.08946/kW/day; distribution $0.01675/kWh; on-peak demand $0.43932 (summer)/$0.35978 (winter) per kW/day; base energy $0.07608/kWh plus on-peak period adders. (Effective 01/01/2026.) | — |
| Cg-2 — Commercial & Industrial Lighting and Power Time-of-Use | industrial | Mandatory for demand greater than 200 kW (or >200 kW in 4 of 12 months); up to 1,000 kW. | Grid connection/customer service $15.00/day; customer max 15-min demand $0.11248/kW/day; distribution $0.01529/kWh; max monthly on-peak demand $0.49700 (summer)/$0.41100 (winter) per kW/day; base energy $0.07156/kWh plus on-peak period 1/2/3 adders. (Effective 01/01/2026, file 3270-UR-126.) | — |
| Cg-6 — Large Annual High Load Factor Service | industrial | Demand greater than 1,000 kW. | Grid connection/customer service $30.00/day; customer max 15-min demand $0.11400/kW/day; distribution $0.00903/kWh; max monthly on-peak demand $0.50366 (summer)/$0.41241 (winter) per kW/day; base energy $0.06999/kWh plus on-peak adders. (Effective 01/01/2026.) | — |
| Cg-3 — Small C&I Optional Time-of-Use (Closed) | commercial | Closed to new customers since January 1, 2021; existing small C&I TOU customers only. | Optional time-of-use rate for demands of 20 kW or less; closed to enrollment. New small C&I TOU customers are directed to Cg-4. See tariff sheet for current values. | — |
| Business Natural Gas Service | commercial | Commercial and industrial natural gas customers. | PSCW-approved firm and interruptible gas service schedules (e.g., general service and large-volume firm/interruptible). Overall gas rates rose about 2.77% effective Jan. 1, 2026; specific per-therm charges are listed in the MGE gas tariff book. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large industrial / manufacturing (>200 kW)
Sites above 200 kW are mandatorily on Cg-2 (or Cg-6 above 1,000 kW). Bills are demand-led, so a demand-management program is the highest-ROI move.
Dual demand charges (customer-maximum 15-min plus on-peak 15-min) can dominate the bill, and the customer-maximum component ratchets over the trailing 11 months.
- Monitor 15-minute demand in MyMeter and alarm on approaching peaks
- Stagger large motor/equipment starts
- Evaluate Is-3/Is-4 interruptible riders for curtailable load
Mid-size commercial (20–200 kW)
Cg-4 applies to 20–200 kW. With lower demand charges than Cg-2, the win is shifting load out of the three on-peak periods, especially summer afternoons.
On-peak demand and energy adders are highest summer 1p–6p; controllable load shifting cuts both.
- Pre-cool or pre-run processes before on-peak windows
- Use MyMeter targets to track on-peak demand
- Confirm whether Primary Voltage provision applies
Small business / light commercial (≤20 kW)
Cg-5 is a simple per-day plus per-kWh rate with no demand charge. Focus on overall energy reduction and benchmarking rather than demand.
No demand charge, so kWh reduction and efficiency drive savings.
- Use My Account energy charts to find usage drivers
- Pursue MGE efficiency incentives
- Benchmark via ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
Multi-tenant / portfolio benchmarking
For multi-tenant buildings and portfolios, use MyMeter whole-building aggregation and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager integration to meet Madison BESP benchmarking and find efficiency opportunities.
Automated ESPM upload removes manual entry and supports compliance; aggregation reveals tenant-level drivers.
- Submit a MyMeter whole-building request
- Connect MyMeter to Portfolio Manager
- Track demand at the building level to manage shared peaks
Historical Rate Trends
MGE rates are reset annually through PSCW rate cases. The PSCW approved MGE's 2026–2027 rate plan, with overall electric rates up roughly 0.15% and natural gas up roughly 2.77% effective January 1, 2026.
January 1, 2026
Overall electric rates increased about 0.15% under the PSCW-approved 2026 tariff (file 3270-UR-126).
+0.15%January 1, 2026
Overall natural gas rates increased about 2.77% effective Jan. 1, 2026.
+2.77%Overall trend: Modest electric increase with a larger natural gas increase for 2026; continued investment in AMI and clean-energy generation.
Next expected change: Next adjustment expected January 2027 under the approved 2026–2027 PSCW rate plan.
Cost Optimization Strategies
For MGE C&I customers, peak demand management is the single biggest lever because both a customer-maximum 15-minute demand charge and a maximum monthly on-peak demand charge drive the bill. Shifting load out of the three weekday on-peak periods and flattening 15-minute peaks deliver the largest savings.
Flatten 15-minute demand peaks
For: Cg-2, Cg-4, Cg-6
Stagger equipment startups and use load controls to avoid brief 15-minute spikes that set both the customer-maximum and on-peak demand charges on Cg-2/Cg-6.
Shift load out of on-peak periods
For: All TOU schedules
Move discretionary load away from weekday on-peak windows (10a–1p, 1p–6p, 6p–9p) to cut on-peak demand and energy adders, especially in summer.
Use MyMeter to monitor and target
For: All C&I
Track 15-minute demand and on-peak demand in MyMeter, set performance targets, and use energy markers to verify the impact of operational changes.
Evaluate interruptible riders
For: Cg-2, Cg-6
Large loads may qualify for interruptible service riders (Is-3 at 500 kW+, Is-4 direct-control at 75 kW+) for bill credits in exchange for curtailment during events.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a C&I customer get 15-minute interval data from MGE?▾
MGE's AMI smart meters record 15-minute interval data. The most practical access is the MyMeter business dashboard (mymeter.mge.com), which provides demand and on-peak demand data with CSV/Excel export. Raw interval files can be requested manually under a Form 3100 authorization; MGE does not offer Green Button or an API.
Can an energy consultant pull our data automatically?▾
Not via API or Green Button — neither is supported. A consultant gains access either through MyMeter (after the customer approves a third-party or whole-building request) or by the customer signing Form 3100. For recurring feeds, contact MGE Business at Business@mge.com to discuss custom delivery.
Which rate schedule applies to a large commercial or industrial site?▾
Schedule Cg-2 (Commercial and Industrial Lighting and Power Time-of-Use) is mandatory for sites with maximum monthly 15-minute demand above 200 kW (or above 200 kW in four of 12 months). Sites over 1,000 kW with high load factor may use Cg-6. Smaller sites use Cg-4 (20–200 kW) or Cg-5 (20 kW or less).
How are demand charges billed on Cg-2?▾
Cg-2 bills a customer maximum 15-minute demand charge per kW per day for distribution plus a maximum monthly on-peak 15-minute demand charge per kW per day for electricity service, on top of a daily grid connection/customer service charge and per-kWh energy charges with time-of-use adders. Demand is the greatest 15-minute usage rate, so flattening peaks directly lowers the bill.
Does MGE support ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager benchmarking?▾
Yes. MyMeter can push monthly data into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager automatically, which supports the City of Madison Building Energy Savings Program (BESP). Whole-building aggregation is available for multi-tenant properties with proper authorization.
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