Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) Rate Selection Guide
Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) is the largest three-service municipal utility in the United States, serving Memphis and Shelby County with electric, gas, and water. As a TVA distributor, MLGW has no retail energy choice. C&I customers access detailed interval data through the Meter Intelligence platform, while billing data is available via the My Account portal.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSA | commercial | Energy + demand + basic charge (3-component); per-unit figures in tariff PDF, +4% Jan 2026 | General commercial and industrial power customers |
| MSA | industrial | Manufacturing energy + demand + customer charge; per-unit figures in tariff PDF | Manufacturers (potential utility tax exemption) |
| TGS / TMS | commercial | Time-of-use on-peak/off-peak energy and demand; figures in tariff PDF | Customers able to shift load off-peak |
Market Overview
MLGW is a municipal utility owned by the City of Memphis and a power distributor for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). There is no retail electric choice; rates are set by the Memphis City Council within TVA wholesale power arrangements. C&I customers cannot select a competitive supplier.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
MLGW publishes C&I rate schedules as PDFs on its commercial rates page (current schedules effective January 3, 2025). Electric C&I service uses a three-component structure — consumption (kWh), demand (kW), and a basic customer service charge — under the General Power Rate (GSA); manufacturers use the Manufacturing rate (MSA), with time-of-use options (TGS, TMS). A monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) rider applies. Effective January 2026, MLGW implemented a 4% rate increase, the final installment of a 12% multi-year adjustment approved by the Memphis City Council in 2023. Specific per-unit charges are published only in the tariff PDFs; see the linked rate schedules for exact figures.
Effective: January 3, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSA - General Power Rate | commercial | General commercial/industrial power service. | Three-component rate: energy (kWh) + demand (kW) + basic customer service charge, per Parts A and B. Power factor below 85% billed under General Power Rate provisions. Exact per-unit charges are in the GSA tariff PDF (effective 2025-01-03, +4% Jan 2026). | — |
| MSA - Manufacturing Power Rate | industrial | Manufacturing customers. | Energy + demand + customer charge structure tailored to manufacturing loads; manufacturers may qualify for reduced/exempt utility tax. See the MSA tariff PDF for per-unit charges. | — |
| TGS - Time-of-Use General Service | commercial | Commercial customers electing time-of-use pricing. | Time-differentiated energy and demand charges (on-peak/off-peak). Exact rates in the TGS tariff PDF. | — |
| TMS - Time-of-Use Manufacturing Service | industrial | Manufacturing customers electing time-of-use pricing. | Time-of-use energy and demand charges for manufacturing loads. Exact rates in the TMS tariff PDF. | — |
| FCA - Fuel Cost Adjustment Rider | commercial | All electric customers (residential and C&I). | Monthly fuel cost adjustment that varies each month based on TVA wholesale power costs. Current value published monthly. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
General commercial facility
Offices, retail, and general commercial power loads.
GSA is the standard general power rate; cost is driven by energy, demand, and the customer charge plus the monthly FCA.
- Enroll in Meter Intelligence to track 30-minute demand
- Keep power factor at or above 85% to avoid penalties
- Watch the monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment
Manufacturing facility
Manufacturers with significant process loads.
MSA is tailored to manufacturing loads, and qualifying manufacturers can secure utility-tax exemptions; TMS adds time-of-use savings.
- File the Industrial Machinery Authorization Exemption Certificate for tax relief
- Consider TMS to shift load off-peak
- Use interval data for demand and power-factor management
Load-flexible commercial customer
Sites that can move discretionary load to off-peak hours.
TGS rewards off-peak consumption with lower on-peak energy and demand exposure.
- Model on/off-peak spread before electing TOU
- Automate load shifting where possible
- Validate savings with Meter Intelligence data
Customers needing interval data for analytics
Energy teams and consultants needing detailed consumption data.
Rate choice is independent of data access; Meter Intelligence provides 30-minute electric and 60-minute gas interval CSV/Excel exports.
- Budget $30 per meter per month for Meter Intelligence
- Add consultants as authorized users for specified meters
- Export CSV/Excel for external analytics since there is no API or Green Button
Historical Rate Trends
MLGW rates are set by the Memphis City Council. The current commercial schedules are effective January 3, 2025. A multi-year 12% adjustment approved in 2023 phased in over several years, with the final 4% installment implemented January 2026.
January 1, 2026
Final installment of the 2023-approved multi-year adjustment, applied to bills issued after January 1, 2026.
+4%January 3, 2025
Current commercial rate schedules (GSA, MSA, TGS, TMS) became effective.
n/aOverall trend: Rising — a 12% multi-year increase approved in 2023 phased in through January 2026.
Next expected change: The January 2026 4% step was the final installment of the approved 2023 multi-year adjustment; future changes require new Memphis City Council action.
Cost Optimization Strategies
MLGW C&I costs are driven by demand charges, power factor, and fuel cost adjustments. The main levers are demand and power-factor management, time-of-use participation, and manufacturer tax exemptions.
Demand management with interval data
For: C&I customers on GSA/MSA
Use Meter Intelligence 30-minute interval data to identify and shave peak demand, reducing the kW demand component of the General Power Rate.
Power factor correction
For: C&I customers with low power factor
Maintain power factor at or above 85% to avoid penalties; Meter Intelligence reports kVAR/kVA and power factor to guide correction.
Time-of-use participation
For: Customers with flexible load
Shift discretionary load off-peak under TGS/TMS to lower on-peak energy and demand costs.
Manufacturer tax exemption
For: Qualifying manufacturers
Manufacturers whose energy/water directly contacts the product may qualify for a full exemption or reduced 1.5% utility tax with a state Industrial Machinery Authorization Exemption Certificate on file.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a C&I customer get interval data from MLGW?▾
Eligible commercial and industrial customers use Meter Intelligence, powered by Automated Energy Inc., which provides 30-minute electric and 60-minute gas interval data with up to 24 months of history. Eligibility generally requires 1,000 kW+ demand (or a designated power account with CTs). The service costs $30 per meter per month; contact Business Care at (901) 528-4270 to enroll.
Can an energy consultant access our MLGW interval data?▾
Yes, on a customer-authorized basis. The account owner can request that a consultant be added as a third-party user in Meter Intelligence for specified meters, or the customer can download interval data as CSV/Excel and share it directly. MLGW has no standardized third-party API.
Does MLGW support Green Button or EDI?▾
No. MLGW does not offer Green Button (Download or Connect My Data) or a documented EDI program. The practical alternative for automated workflows is the CSV/Excel export from Meter Intelligence.
Can my business shop for a competitive electricity supplier?▾
No. MLGW is a municipal utility and a TVA distributor; Tennessee has no retail electric choice. All C&I customers take bundled service at MLGW's published municipal rates.
What interval data fields are available for electric meters?▾
Meter Intelligence provides kWh consumption, kW demand, kVAR (reactive power), kVA (apparent power), and power factor at 30-minute granularity, with demand density analysis and load profiling for benchmarking.
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