Rochester Public Utilities Rate Selection Guide
Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) is a municipally-owned electric and water utility serving over 60,000 electric customers in Rochester, Minnesota. RPU offers billing and usage data through its RPU Connect portal with a Guest Access third-party sharing feature and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager benchmarking, and is deploying AMI smart meters beginning in 2026. It does not currently support Green Button, public APIs, or EDI.
Rochester Public Utilities Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service / TOU | Commercial | Energy Customer Charge + seasonal kWh energy charge (TOU on-peak/off-peak); see Rate Schedule PDF | Small commercial loads under 75 kW |
| Medium General Service | Commercial | On/off-peak demand (15-min kW) + energy + PSA; see Rate Schedule PDF | Mid-size businesses 75-1,000 kW |
| Large General Service / LIS | Industrial | Demand (kW) + energy with Oct-May ratchet; see Rate Schedule PDF | Large industrial loads |
| Interruptible (INTR) | Industrial | Discounted demand for interruptible load (100 kW+); see Rate Schedule PDF | Flexible large loads able to curtail on RPU peaks |
Market Overview
RPU is a community-owned municipal utility. Rates are informed by cost-of-service studies and approved by the RPU Board and Rochester City Council. There is no competitive retail supplier choice. RPU's wholesale power is supplied largely through SMMPA, and bills include an Energy Customer Charge, Energy Charge, Clean Air Rider (ERP bond, through 2030), and Power Supply Adjustment.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Rochester Public Utilities Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
RPU's 2026 Rate Schedule is published as a PDF and approved by the RPU Board and Rochester City Council. C&I customers are grouped by demand into General Service/TOU (<75 kW), Medium General Service (75-1,000 kW), and Large General Service / Large Industrial Service (larger loads), with Interruptible and High Efficiency HVAC options. Specific per-kWh and per-kW dollar figures are published only in the Rate Schedule PDF; the verified structural elements below are drawn from RPU's official rate pages. The base power-supply cost referenced for the Power Supply Adjustment is 7.285 cents/kWh.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service / Time-of-Use (TOU) | commercial | Commercial, industrial, governmental locations with loads under 75 kW, single point/meter. | Energy Customer Charge + Energy Charge (kWh) with seasonal (summer Jun-Sep / non-summer) rates; TOU option splits on-peak energy (10 a.m.-10 p.m. weekdays) from off-peak. Clean Air Rider and Power Supply Adjustment apply. Specific cents/kWh in the 2026 Rate Schedule PDF. | — |
| Medium General Service (MGS) - Time-of-Use | commercial | Loads of 75 kW to under 1,000 kW for three or more billing periods in a calendar year. | Customer/meter charge + on-peak and off-peak demand charges (15-minute kW) + energy charges (seasonal). Power-factor adjustment if PF < 0.95; 1.25% discount for 13.8 kV metering; $0.20/kW credit for transformer-owning customers. PSA applies. Dollar figures in the 2026 Rate Schedule PDF. | — |
| Large General Service (LGS) | industrial | Large commercial/industrial loads above the MGS range (generally >=1,000 kW). | Customer charge + demand charge (15-minute kW, with Oct-May ratchet at 50% of summer peak) + energy charge (seasonal). Power-factor and 13.8 kV provisions apply. PSA applies. Dollar figures in the 2026 Rate Schedule PDF. | — |
| Large Industrial Service (LIS) | industrial | RPU's largest industrial customers; used with INTR where applicable. | Customer/demand/energy structure similar to LGS with provisions for the largest loads; eligible for Interruptible rate with 100 kW+ interruptible demand. Dollar figures in the 2026 Rate Schedule PDF. | — |
| Interruptible Rate (INTR) | industrial | Commercial/industrial customers contracting 1+ year with 100 kW or more of interruptible load (used with MGS/LGS/LIS). | Discounted demand in exchange for interruptibility (max 175 hours / 35 interruptions per year); penalties for failure to interrupt tied to SMMPA wholesale cost. 1.25% discount at 13.8 kV; $0.20/kW transformer credit. PSA applies. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial / light industrial (75-1,000 kW)
Served under Medium General Service - TOU with separate on-peak and off-peak 15-minute demand charges.
MGS captures loads from 75 kW to under 1,000 kW; on/off-peak demand structure rewards shifting peaks off the 10 a.m.-10 p.m. window.
- Track the max 15-minute kW that sets your demand charge
- Shift deferrable load to off-peak hours and off the summer peak
- Maintain power factor >= 0.95; consider transformer ownership for the $0.20/kW credit
Large industrial load (>=1,000 kW)
Served under Large General Service or Large Industrial Service; demand-dominated with an Oct-May ratchet.
Largest loads see demand charges plus the summer-set ratchet; INTR can discount demand for curtailable load.
- Manage the Jun-Sep peak to limit the Oct-May 50% ratchet
- Evaluate INTR if you have 100 kW+ of curtailable load
- Pursue 13.8 kV metering for the 1.25% base-rate discount
Small commercial (<75 kW)
General Service with optional Time-of-Use to capture off-peak savings.
Under 75 kW, demand charges generally do not apply; TOU lets flexible users save by shifting off-peak.
- Use Track Energy Use in RPU Connect to find usage patterns
- Shift discretionary load off the 10 a.m.-10 p.m. weekday window if on TOU
- Watch demand creep toward 25 kW where demand billing begins
Sustainability/ESG benchmarking & MN compliance
RPU's ESPM integration and Whole-Building Data Request support Minnesota benchmarking (Statute 216C.331).
No Green Button/API, but RPU provides automated/manual monthly data to ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and CSV whole-building exports.
- Link RPU to ESPM via authorization code for monthly auto-updates
- Use the Whole-Building Data Request for buildings without a single account holder
- Note compliance deadlines: >100,000 sq ft (Jun 1, 2025); >50,000 sq ft (Jun 1, 2026)
Historical Rate Trends
RPU rates are reviewed annually via cost-of-service studies and approved by the RPU Board and Rochester City Council. A 2026 Rate Schedule is in effect. Local reporting has noted rising power bills in Rochester driven by wholesale power and infrastructure costs.
January 1, 2026
2026 Rate Schedule effective (approved by RPU Board and Rochester City Council); Electric Rules and Regulations updated effective June 1, 2024.
variesJune 1, 2024
Electric Rules and Regulations effective June 1, 2024; prior annual rate adjustment.
variesOverall trend: Rising — annual adjustments reflecting wholesale power (SMMPA) and capital/infrastructure costs, including the AMI rollout.
Next expected change: Next annual rate schedule expected for 2027, pending RPU Board and City Council approval.
Cost Optimization Strategies
For RPU C&I accounts, demand charges on the maximum 15-minute interval and the Oct-May ratchet are the largest controllable costs. Flattening peaks, maintaining power factor at or above 0.95, shifting load off the 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on-peak window, and (for flexible loads) interruptible participation deliver the biggest savings.
Peak Demand Management
For: MGS, LGS, LIS accounts (>25 kW)
Use demand limiting/shedding and staggered equipment starts to lower the maximum 15-minute kW that sets the demand charge.
Manage the Summer Ratchet
For: Demand-billed C&I
Control Jun-Sep peak demand, since the Oct-May minimum billed demand is set at 50% of the highest summer peak.
Power Factor Correction
For: MGS/LGS/LIS with inductive loads
Maintain average power factor >= 0.95 to avoid an adjusted (higher) billed demand.
Time-of-Use Load Shifting
For: General Service/MGS TOU customers
Shift deferrable load out of the 10 a.m.-10 p.m. weekday on-peak window under the TOU rate.
Interruptible Rate Participation
For: Large flexible C&I loads
For loads with 100 kW+ of curtailable demand, enroll in INTR for discounted demand (max 175 hours/35 events per year).
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Rochester Public Utilities interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a consultant access RPU C&I billing and usage data?▾
RPU offers in-portal Guest Access: the account holder invites the consultant by email through RPU Connect, granting read-only access to billing and usage. For aggregated whole-building data (e.g., for ENERGY STAR benchmarking), consultants can submit the Whole-Building Data Request, which RPU fulfills with a 12-month CSV after owner approval.
Does RPU provide 15-minute interval data for demand analysis?▾
RPU uses 15-minute intervals to bill commercial demand (accounts over 25 kW), but does not currently offer a customer-facing 15-minute interval export. Detailed interval data is expected once the AMI deployment that began in early 2026 is complete (2026-2027).
How does RPU calculate commercial demand charges?▾
Demand is the maximum kW in any 15-minute interval during the billing cycle. Bills include energy (kWh) and demand (kW) components, a power-factor adjustment if average PF falls below 0.95, and an Oct-May ratchet set at 50% of the highest summer (Jun-Sep) demand. TOU classes split on-peak demand (10 a.m.-10 p.m. weekdays) from off-peak.
Which RPU rate class applies to my business?▾
RPU assigns classes by demand: General Service / TOU for loads under 75 kW, Medium General Service (75-1,000 kW), and Large General Service / Large Industrial Service for larger loads. Interruptible (INTR) is available to customers with 100 kW or more of interruptible load. Confirm your class on the current rate schedule with RPU.
Can RPU commercial customers choose a competitive electricity supplier?▾
No. Minnesota does not have retail electric choice for municipal utility customers. RPU is the sole electricity provider in its territory; rates are set by the RPU Board and Rochester City Council, with wholesale power supplied largely through SMMPA.
What special C&I rate options does RPU offer?▾
Beyond standard classes, RPU offers a Time-of-Use rate (commercial/industrial), an Interruptible rate (INTR) for loads with 100 kW+ interruptible demand used with MGS/LGS/LIS, and a High Efficiency HVAC rate. Customers metered at 13.8 kV get a 1.25% base-rate discount, and transformer-owning customers receive a $0.20/kW demand credit.
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