Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) Rate Selection Guide
Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) is an Avangrid investor-owned utility serving roughly 392,000 electric customers across the Rochester region of New York. It operates in New York's competitive retail market, where commercial and industrial customers can shop supply from ESCOs while RG&E provides regulated delivery, billing, and EDI-based third-party data access.
Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC-2 | Small commercial | $23.00 customer charge + $0.06975/kWh delivery (verified) | Small offices, retail, and shops under 12 kW |
| SC-7 | Commercial (demand) | Demand-billed delivery per PSC No. 19 | Mid-size commercial at 12 kW minimum |
| SC-3 | Large commercial/industrial | Demand-billed delivery, 100 kW minimum | Larger facilities at 100-300 kW |
| SC-8 | Industrial (TOU) | Voltage-tiered; e.g. Secondary demand $21.08/kW (verified) | Large industrial loads 300 kW and above |
Market Overview
New York's retail electricity market is deregulated. RG&E delivers electricity under regulated tariffs while supply is competitive: C&I customers can choose RG&E Supply Service (RSS), a competitive ESCO, or hourly market-based pricing. Customers at or above 300 kW are served under SC-8 with mandatory hourly pricing. Bills may be RG&E-consolidated (Utility Bill Ready) or issued by the ESCO.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
RG&E's delivery rates are set in its PSC No. 19 electric tariff and adjusted in rate cases before the New York PSC. C&I customers select supply separately (RG&E Supply Service, an ESCO, or hourly pricing). Verified figures below come from RG&E's published Electric Rate Summary and PSC No. 19 service classifications; supply and many rider charges (Transition Charge, SBC, RDM, MFC) vary monthly and are quoted on RG&E statements rather than fixed here.
Effective: June 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC-2 General Service - Small Use | commercial | Nonresidential customers with demand of 12 kW or less and consumption not exceeding 3,000 kWh in each of four consecutive months. | Monthly customer charge (verified $23.00) plus bill issuance charge ($0.99) and delivery charge per kWh (verified $0.06975/kWh), with make-whole, Transition Charge, SBC, RDM, and recovery riders. Supply via RSS, ESCO, or hourly. | — |
| SC-7 General Service - 12 kW Minimum | commercial | Nonresidential customers with billing demand of at least 12 kW or consumption exceeding 3,000 kWh in each of four consecutive months (primary service with demand billing). | Demand-billed delivery with customer charge, per-kW demand charge, and per-kWh delivery, plus standard riders. Exact charges per PSC No. 19. Supply via RSS, ESCO, or hourly. | — |
| SC-3 General Service - 100 kW Minimum | commercial | Nonresidential customers with measured demand of at least 100 kW during any three of the previous 12 months. | Demand-billed delivery (customer charge, per-kW demand charge, per-kWh delivery) with full rider stack. Customers reaching 300 kW are moved to SC-8. Exact charges per PSC No. 19. Supply via RSS, ESCO, or hourly. | — |
| SC-8 Large General Service - Time-of-Use | industrial | Large nonresidential customers with basic demand of at least 300 kW during any three of the previous 12 months; mandatory hourly/TOU pricing. | Voltage-tiered (Secondary/Substation/Primary/Transmission) with large fixed customer charges (verified e.g. Secondary $1,725/mo; Substation $3,875), per-kW demand charges (verified e.g. Secondary $21.08/kW, Substation $12.34/kW), reactive charge per RKVAH (verified $0.00127), bill issuance $0.99, plus riders. Supply via RSS, ESCO, or hourly. | — |
| SC-14 Standby Service | commercial | Customers with on-site generation requiring standby/backup delivery service. | Standby delivery with contract-demand and as-used demand components per PSC No. 19. Charges qualitative here; see tariff. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial / retail (under 12 kW)
Small offices, shops, and retail typically fall under SC-2 with a flat per-kWh delivery charge and no demand billing.
At 12 kW or less and under 3,000 kWh/month, SC-2's verified $23 customer charge plus $0.06975/kWh delivery avoids demand charges entirely.
- Shop ESCO supply or compare to RG&E Supply Service
- Keep monthly usage under 3,000 kWh to stay on SC-2
- Use Energy Manager to track hourly usage
Mid-size commercial (12-100 kW)
Growing commercial loads move to SC-7 (12 kW minimum) with demand billing.
Once demand or consumption crosses SC-2 thresholds, demand-billed delivery under SC-7 applies; managing peak demand reduces cost.
- Monitor peak kW to control demand charges
- Use Energy Profiler Online for interval analysis
- Evaluate fixed vs index ESCO supply
Large facility (100-300 kW)
Larger demand-billed loads fall under SC-3 (100 kW minimum) until they reach 300 kW.
SC-3 applies at 100 kW measured demand; demand charges dominate, so load shaping and power-factor correction matter.
- Target demand reduction during peak windows
- Correct power factor to limit reactive charges
- Plan for SC-8 if demand approaches 300 kW
Large industrial (300 kW+)
Industrial and large commercial loads above 300 kW are placed on SC-8 with mandatory time-of-use pricing and voltage-tiered demand charges.
SC-8 carries large fixed customer charges (verified e.g. $1,725/mo secondary) and high per-kW demand charges (verified ~$21.08/kW secondary), so TOU shifting and demand management drive savings.
- Shift load out of peak/part-peak periods
- Manage coincident peak demand by voltage tier
- Consider hourly supply and on-site generation/storage
- Enroll in CSRP demand response
Historical Rate Trends
RG&E electric delivery rates are set through multi-year rate cases at the New York PSC. A temporary rate increase took effect June 1, 2026, while the Commission considers RG&E's larger pending request, which it granted only in part on a temporary basis.
June 1, 2026
PSC-set temporary rates take effect, allowing RG&E a 4.0% annual electric revenue increase (about a 2.9% typical total bill impact) - substantially less than RG&E's original request.
+4.0%Overall trend: Rising - delivery rates have been increasing through successive rate cases, with infrastructure investment cited as the driver.
Next expected change: Final rates from the pending rate case are expected to supersede the June 1, 2026 temporary rates; monitor PSC filings.
Cost Optimization Strategies
C&I customers can lower total RG&E electricity costs by shopping supply competitively, managing demand and time-of-use exposure, and choosing the correct service classification for their load.
Competitive ESCO supply or hourly pricing
For: All C&I classes (mandatory hourly at 300 kW+)
Shop electricity supply from a competitive ESCO or evaluate hourly market pricing against RG&E Supply Service to reduce the commodity portion of the bill.
Demand management on SC-3 / SC-8
For: SC-3 and SC-8 demand-billed customers
Shift or shed load to cut billed kW demand and peak/part-peak TOU energy; SC-8 demand charges are sizable (e.g. ~$21/kW secondary peak).
Power factor / reactive correction
For: SC-8 and reactive-billed C&I customers
Improve power factor to reduce RKVAH reactive charges (verified $0.00127/RKVAH on SC-8) and avoid penalties.
Demand response (CSRP)
For: C&I customers and aggregators
Enroll in the Commercial System Relief Program to earn payments for verified peak-event load reductions.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
New York's retail-choice market lets RG&E C&I customers buy electricity supply from a competitive ESCO or stay on RG&E Supply Service, while RG&E always provides regulated delivery. Customers at 300 kW+ take hourly market-based pricing under SC-8.
How to Compare Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) Suppliers
- 01Review RG&E's posted supply prices for a baseline
- 02Solicit quotes from licensed ESCOs (fixed or index)
- 03Compare contract term, price, and any indexing to RG&E Supply Service
- 04Confirm billing method: RG&E consolidated (UBR) vs ESCO billing
- 05Execute the ESCO agreement and customer authorization
Contract Terms for Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) Supply Agreements
- Fixed-price terms (commonly 12-36 months)
- Index/variable products tied to wholesale market
- Block-and-index or hourly arrangements for large loads
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) Rates
- Variable rates can spike during cold snaps and peak periods
- Early-termination fees on fixed contracts
- Bill-ready vs ESCO billing affects whether RG&E's bill issuance charge applies
- Confirm the ESCO is licensed in RG&E territory
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a commercial customer get exportable interval data from RG&E?▾
Demand-metered C&I customers should use Energy Profiler Online, which supports downloading hourly interval, demand, and cost data as CSV for analysis and multi-site benchmarking. Access is arranged through the NYSEG/RG&E marketing contact, and it is the mandatory usage tool for hourly-priced accounts above 300 kW.
Can a third-party energy consultant or ESCO pull our usage data automatically?▾
Yes, but only through EDI. The consultant or ESCO must complete EDI core testing, execute a Data Security Agreement with RG&E, and collect a signed Customer Data Authorization Form. Once certified, they request data via EDI 814-HU and receive 867/867-HIU transactions, typically within 5-10 business days of each meter read. There is no public REST API.
Does RG&E support Green Button?▾
No. As of 2026, NYSEG/RG&E does not implement Green Button Download My Data or Connect My Data. Energy Manager offers a comparable (non-ESPI) CSV export, and the statewide IEDR platform may add standardized API access in later phases.
Can our business shop for a competitive electricity supplier?▾
Yes. New York is a deregulated market, so C&I customers may buy electricity supply from a competitive ESCO or stay on RG&E Supply Service, while RG&E always provides regulated delivery. Customers above 300 kW are placed on Service Classification No. 8 with hourly market-based pricing.
Which rate schedule applies to our facility?▾
It depends on demand. SC-2 covers small general service (12 kW or less and under 3,000 kWh/month), SC-7 covers general service at 12 kW minimum, SC-3 covers 100 kW minimum demand-billed accounts, and SC-8 covers large general service (300 kW+) on a mandatory time-of-use rate. Exact charges are in RG&E's PSC No. 19 tariff.
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