Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association Rate Selection Guide
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) is a member-owned electric cooperative serving roughly 55,300 accounts across northern Colorado. PVREA runs on NISC SmartHub with fully deployed AMI, offering 15-minute interval data, Green Button exports, a Colorado-compliant third-party authorization process, and a direct Energy Star Portfolio Manager benchmarking program.
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule B (Commercial) | commercial | $29.00 facility + $2.00/kW + $0.09201/kWh | Small three-phase commercial ≤ 37.5 kW |
| Schedule LP (Large Power) | industrial | $108.00 facility + $21.49/kW + $0.05570/kWh | Commercial/industrial > 37.5 kW |
| Schedule LPP (Large Power Primary) | industrial | $250.00 facility + $21.19/kW + $0.04995/kWh | Primary-metered loads > 500 kW |
| Schedule LPTOU (Large Power TOU) | industrial | $250.00 facility + $21.49/kW + $7.00/kW TOU + $0.05570/kWh | Large power that can shift demand off-peak |
Market Overview
PVREA is a member-owned cooperative in regulated Colorado with no retail supplier choice. It purchases wholesale power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and resells to members at board-approved rates. Tri-State wholesale cost increases (a 4.8% increase drove the 2026 adjustment) flow through to retail rates and the Power Cost Adjustment.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Verified PVREA 2026 rates effective January 1, 2026. All energy charges carry a $0.00150/kWh Power Cost Adjustment and demand-based schedules carry a $1.00/kW Power Cost Adjustment on demand. The 2026 increase was driven by a 4.8% wholesale cost increase from Tri-State. C&I schedules below are verified from PVREA's published rate tables.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule B - Three-Phase Commercial (≤ 37.5 kW) | commercial | Small three-phase commercial accounts at or below 37.5 kW. | Facility charge $29.00/mo; demand charge $2.00/kW; energy charge $0.09201/kWh; plus $0.00150/kWh Power Cost Adjustment. | — |
| Schedule BTOU - Commercial Time-of-Use (≤ 37.5 kW) | commercial | Small three-phase commercial accounts opting into time-of-use. | Facility charge $29.00/mo; demand charge $2.00/kW; on-peak energy $0.18800/kWh; off-peak energy $0.05464/kWh; plus $0.00150/kWh on-peak Power Cost Adjustment. | — |
| Schedule LP - Large Power (> 37.5 kW) | industrial | Commercial/industrial accounts above 37.5 kW. | Facility charge $108.00/mo; demand charge $21.49/kW; energy charge $0.05570/kWh; plus $1.00/kW Power Cost Adjustment on demand. | — |
| Schedule LPTOU - Large Power Time-of-Use (> 37.5 kW) | industrial | Large power accounts opting into time-of-use. | Facility charge $250.00/mo; demand charge $21.49/kW; TOU demand credit ($10.50)/kW where applicable; TOU demand charge $7.00/kW; energy charge $0.05570/kWh; plus $1.00/kW Power Cost Adjustment on demand. | — |
| Schedule LPP - Large Power Primary Meter (> 500 kW) | industrial | Primary-metered large power accounts above 500 kW. | Facility charge $250.00/mo; demand charge $21.19/kW; energy charge $0.04995/kWh; plus $1.00/kW Power Cost Adjustment on demand. | — |
| Schedule A2 - Single-Phase Commercial (> 37.5 kW) | commercial | Single-phase commercial accounts above 37.5 kW. | Facility charge $34.00/mo; demand charge $2.00/kW; energy charge $0.08900/kWh; plus $0.00150/kWh Power Cost Adjustment. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Industrial / large power facility (> 37.5 kW)
On Schedule LP the $21.49/kW demand charge dominates; prioritize peak demand management.
At $21.49/kW, demand is the largest controllable cost; LPTOU adds a ($10.50)/kW credit opportunity.
- Pull 15-minute Green Button data to find coincident peaks
- Evaluate LPTOU to capture the ($10.50)/kW demand credit
- Consider battery storage to shave peak kW
Very large primary-metered load (> 500 kW)
Accounts over 500 kW should take primary service (LPP) for the lowest energy and demand rates.
LPP cuts energy to $0.04995/kWh and demand to $21.19/kW versus LP, with a TOU variant for further demand savings.
- Confirm primary-metering eligibility and metering costs
- Model LPP vs LPPTOU using your interval data
- Combine with peak-shaving for maximum benefit
Small three-phase commercial (≤ 37.5 kW)
Schedule B's low $2.00/kW demand makes energy and TOU the main levers; flexible operations should compare BTOU.
With demand only $2.00/kW, the $0.09201/kWh energy rate dominates; BTOU's $0.05464/kWh off-peak rewards load shifting.
- Compare flat Schedule B vs BTOU using your load shape
- Shift discretionary load to off-peak under BTOU
- Watch the $0.18800/kWh on-peak rate
Building owner subject to HB 21-1286 benchmarking
Buildings > 50,000 sq ft should enroll in PVREA's Building Benchmarking Program for automated Energy Star uploads.
Automated data upload streamlines compliance and surfaces efficiency opportunities from 15-minute interval data.
- Complete the Building Owner Request form and tenant authorizations if needed
- Create an Energy Star Portfolio Manager account
- Email EnergyBenchmarking@pvrea.coop to start uploads
Historical Rate Trends
PVREA's 2026 rates took effect January 1, 2026, driven by a 4.8% wholesale power cost increase from Tri-State Generation and Transmission (Tri-State's costs have risen ~14% over three years). A Power Cost Adjustment of $0.00150/kWh appears as a line item, averaging about $1.50/month for residential.
January 1, 2026
2026 rate adjustment driven by a 4.8% Tri-State wholesale power cost increase; demand charge changes and a $0.00150/kWh Power Cost Adjustment applied. Small commercial Schedule B averaged about +$8.48/month; BTOU about +$10.18/month.
+4.8% (wholesale-driven)Overall trend: Gradual increases averaging ~2.5% per year, tracking Tri-State wholesale costs; PVREA remains among the lowest rates in Colorado.
Next expected change: Adjustments tied to Tri-State wholesale costs and the annual Power Cost Adjustment; next review per PVREA's multi-year rate plan.
Cost Optimization Strategies
PVREA's verified 2026 rates make the optimal strategy depend on size: large accounts must manage the $21.49/kW demand charge, while TOU customers can exploit a wide on/off-peak energy spread. Primary metering offers the lowest energy rate for the largest loads.
Manage Large Power demand (kW)
For: Schedule LP / LPP accounts (> 37.5 kW)
On Schedule LP the demand charge is $21.49/kW — the dominant cost. Shave coincident peaks, stagger startups, and consider storage to cut billing demand.
Adopt Large Power Time-of-Use
For: Large Power accounts able to shift load
LPTOU offers a ($10.50)/kW demand credit and a $7.00/kW TOU demand charge; if you can shift demand into the credit window, net demand cost can drop materially versus flat $21.49/kW.
Use primary metering for the largest loads
For: Accounts > 500 kW that can take primary service
LPP (> 500 kW) lowers the energy charge to $0.04995/kWh and demand to $21.19/kW versus LP's $0.05570/kWh and $21.49/kW.
Shift load off-peak under TOU
For: Commercial accounts with flexible schedules
Commercial BTOU and Large Power TOU reward off-peak use: off-peak energy is $0.05464/kWh versus $0.18800/kWh on-peak.
Benchmark via Energy Star Portfolio Manager
For: Buildings > 50,000 sq ft (HB 21-1286)
Use PVREA's Building Benchmarking auto-upload and 15-minute interval data to find inefficiencies and target retrofits.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PVREA charge a large commercial / industrial account in 2026?▾
Under the verified 2026 Large Power schedule (LP, >37.5 kW), PVREA charges a $108.00 monthly facility charge, a $21.49/kW demand charge (plus a $1.00/kW Power Cost Adjustment on demand), and a $0.05570/kWh energy charge. Primary-metered accounts over 500 kW (LPP) pay a $250.00 facility charge, $21.19/kW demand, and $0.04995/kWh energy.
Is there a time-of-use option for large commercial accounts?▾
Yes. The Large Power Time-of-Use schedule (LPTOU) carries a $250.00 facility charge, $21.49/kW demand, a TOU demand credit of ($10.50)/kW where applicable, a $7.00/kW TOU demand charge, and $0.05570/kWh energy. A primary-metered TOU version (LPPTOU) applies the same TOU structure with $21.19/kW demand and $0.04995/kWh energy.
What interval data granularity can a C&I member get?▾
PVREA's AMI provides 15-minute interval data via SmartHub's Usage Explorer and the Green Button XML export (up to 14 months). Current SmartHub CSV exports are hourly; use the Green Button XML for 15-minute granularity. Note a data platform migration is expected to complete mid-2026.
How does a third party get authorized for PVREA data?▾
Under Colorado 4 CCR 723-3-3032, the member completes PVREA's Third Party Notification form naming the third party, data types, and duration, and submits it to PVREA. PVREA verifies, provides access, and retains disclosure records for at least 3 years. For buildings >50,000 sq ft, the Building Benchmarking Program auto-uploads to Energy Star Portfolio Manager.
Can a small commercial account choose time-of-use?▾
Yes. Small three-phase commercial accounts (Schedule B, $29.00 facility, $2.00/kW demand, $0.09201/kWh) can opt into Schedule BTOU, which keeps the $29.00 facility and $2.00/kW demand but applies $0.18800/kWh on-peak and $0.05464/kWh off-peak energy.
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