Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) Rate Selection Guide
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving over 182,000 accounts across Northern Virginia. Data access is delivered primarily through the NISC SmartHub portal and mobile app, with AMI smart meters enabling near real-time and interval consumption data.
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC-1 Small Commercial | commercial | ~6.88 cents/kWh avg (EIA-derived); service charge + distribution + PCA | Small businesses, retail, offices |
| LP-1 Large Power | industrial | ~5.27 cents/kWh avg industrial (EIA-derived); demand + energy + PCA | Large facilities and industrial loads with demand |
| HV-2 Dedicated Facilities Contract | industrial | Contract demand/energy (see HV-2 tariff) | Data centers and very large dedicated loads |
| IS-1 Interruptible Rider | industrial | Bill credit for interruptible load (see IS-1 tariff) | Large customers able to curtail on notice |
Market Overview
NOVEC is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative regulated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Members receive bundled regulated service with no competitive retail supplier choice; wholesale power cost is recovered via a Power Cost Adjustment (PCA).
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
NOVEC's regulated rate schedules are filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission and posted on its Regulated Rates page. C&I service is provided under Small Commercial (SC-1), Large Power (LP-1), Large Power Dedicated Distribution (HV-1), Large Power Dedicated Facilities Contract (HV-2), Cogeneration (GV), and the Interruptible Service Rider (IS-1). Bills combine a fixed monthly service charge, a volumetric distribution charge, and a power-supply charge adjusted via the PCA. Effective January 1, 2024 the residential monthly service charge was rebalanced to $21.30 (revenue-neutral). Verified EIA-derived averages (most recent 12 months): commercial about 6.88 cents/kWh ($3,094/month across 14,132 accounts) and industrial about 5.27 cents/kWh ($48,511/month across 99 accounts). Specific per-kWh and demand charges for each C&I schedule are published in the individual tariff PDFs.
Effective: January 1, 2024 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Commercial Service - SC-1 | commercial | Small commercial accounts | Fixed monthly service charge plus volumetric distribution charge and PCA-adjusted power supply. NOVEC commercial accounts average about 6.88 cents/kWh ($3,094/month across 14,132 accounts) per EIA-derived data. See SC-1 tariff for exact charges. | — |
| Large Power Service - LP-1 | industrial | Large commercial and industrial accounts with significant demand | Monthly service charge plus demand (kW) and energy (kWh) charges, with PCA-adjusted power supply. Industrial accounts average about 5.27 cents/kWh ($48,511/month across 99 accounts) per EIA-derived data. See LP-1 tariff for exact demand and energy charges. | — |
| Large Power Dedicated Distribution Service - HV-1 | industrial | Very large customers served at higher/dedicated distribution voltage | Demand- and energy-based pricing for customers taking service over dedicated distribution facilities; charges set in the HV-1 tariff PDF. | — |
| Large Power Dedicated Facilities Contract Service - HV-2 | industrial | Largest customers (e.g., data centers) under dedicated-facilities contracts | Contract demand and energy charges with a power-factor requirement (customer maintains near-unity power factor); charges set in the HV-2 tariff PDF. | — |
| Cogeneration Service - GV | industrial | Customers with on-site cogeneration / qualifying facilities | Standby/supplemental and buyback provisions for cogeneration customers; terms set in the GV tariff PDF. | — |
| Interruptible Service Rider - IS-1 | industrial | Large customers electing curtailable/interruptible service | Bill credit rider in exchange for interruptible load during curtailment events; terms set in the IS-1 tariff PDF. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small business / small commercial
Retail, offices, and small commercial accounts.
SC-1 fits small commercial loads without significant demand; NOVEC commercial rates average about 6.88 cents/kWh (EIA-derived), among the lower rates in Virginia.
- Use SmartHub Usage Explorer to track consumption and costs
- Set usage alerts to catch anomalies
- Confirm SC-1 is the right schedule as load grows
Large facility / industrial with demand
Manufacturing, warehouses, and large facilities with meaningful peak demand.
LP-1 is demand-based, so load factor and peak management drive cost. NOVEC industrial accounts average about 5.27 cents/kWh (EIA-derived).
- Use interval data to identify and shave peak demand
- Improve load factor to lower demand charges
- Evaluate the IS-1 interruptible rider if load can be curtailed
Data center / very large dedicated load
Data centers and very large customers needing dedicated facilities.
HV-1/HV-2 serve very large dedicated loads with contract demand/energy terms and a power-factor requirement; about 72% of NOVEC sales come from large-load customers.
- Maintain near-unity power factor to meet HV-2 requirements
- Model contract demand carefully against actual load
- Engage NOVEC early for new dedicated-facilities service
Energy consultant / aggregator
Third parties analyzing NOVEC member usage across a portfolio.
With no official utility API, rely on member-shared SmartHub/Green Button data, SmartHub multi-user access, the unofficial SmartHub API, or Nectar's API (see docs.nectarclimate.com) to build interval analyses.
- Collect written member authorization before accessing data
- Use the open-source SmartHub tool for 15-minute interval data with consent
- Use Nectar for programmatic billing and interval data access — see docs.nectarclimate.com
Historical Rate Trends
NOVEC rates are reviewed and filed with the Virginia SCC. The most recent notable change was the January 1, 2024 residential rate rebalancing (revenue-neutral). NOVEC bills rose in 2025 primarily due to higher wholesale market power prices flowing through the PCA.
January 1, 2024
Residential rate rebalancing: monthly service charge increased from $15.75 to $21.30 with an offsetting decrease in the distribution charge — revenue-neutral to the residential class.
Service charge $15.75 to $21.30 (revenue-neutral)January 1, 2025
Bills increased during 2025 driven by higher wholesale market power prices passed through the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA).
Market-driven (PCA)Overall trend: Power-supply portion rising with wholesale market prices (via PCA); distribution rebalanced in 2024 with no net residential-class revenue change.
Next expected change: Periodic PCA adjustments tracking wholesale power cost; further SCC filings as needed.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because NOVEC is a regulated cooperative with no supplier choice, C&I cost optimization centers on rate-class fit, demand/load-factor management, load management programs, and interruptible options — not commodity shopping.
Confirm correct rate schedule
For: All C&I accounts
Verify that the account is on the most economical applicable schedule (SC-1 vs. LP-1 vs. HV-1/HV-2) given demand and load profile; review the tariff PDFs and consult NOVEC.
Manage demand and load factor
For: LP-1, HV-1, HV-2 customers
On demand-based LP-1/HV schedules, reducing peak kW and improving load factor directly lowers demand charges. Use SmartHub/interval data to find and shave peaks.
Enroll in Load Management
For: Eligible commercial and residential members
NOVEC's voluntary Load Management program (water heater / AC control) reduces costs and includes free repair/service; 54,000+ members are enrolled.
Evaluate Interruptible Service (IS-1)
For: Large interruptible-capable customers
Large customers able to curtail load on notice can take the IS-1 rider for bill credits in exchange for accepting interruptions.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can NOVEC C&I customers choose their electricity supplier?▾
No. NOVEC is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative regulated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission. There is no competitive retail supplier choice; members receive bundled regulated service, with wholesale power cost passed through via the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA).
Which rate schedules apply to commercial and industrial accounts?▾
C&I accounts take service under Small Commercial (SC-1), Large Power (LP-1), Large Power Dedicated Distribution (HV-1), Large Power Dedicated Facilities Contract (HV-2, common for data centers), Cogeneration (GV), and the Interruptible Service Rider (IS-1). Demand (kW) charges apply on the larger schedules; exact charges are in each tariff PDF on NOVEC's Regulated Rates page.
How can a consultant access a NOVEC customer's usage data?▾
NOVEC has no formal automated third-party program. Options are: (1) the member downloads bills/Green Button XML from SmartHub and shares them; (2) SmartHub multi-user access if the member adds the consultant; (3) the unofficial NISC SmartHub API for 15-minute interval data with member consent; or (4) Nectar, which provides API access to billing and interval data after member authorization — see docs.nectarclimate.com. Contact NOVEC at 703-335-0500 for authorization options.
What interval data is available and at what granularity?▾
AMI meters capture near real-time usage. SmartHub's UI exposes daily and hourly views, while 15-minute interval kWh/cost data is accessible through the unofficial NISC SmartHub API. Roughly 12-24 months of interval history is typically available, with a possible 15-30 minute delay on recent reads.
How can large C&I accounts lower their NOVEC bill?▾
Because there is no supplier choice, focus on rate-class fit, demand/load-factor management on LP-1/HV schedules, the voluntary Load Management program, and the IS-1 interruptible rider. Use SmartHub or interval data to identify and shave peak demand.
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