Sevier County Electric System Rate Selection Guide
Sevier County Electric System (SCES) is a municipally owned, nonprofit TVA distributor serving about 63,500 accounts in East Tennessee. Data access is limited to an online portal, mobile app, and FlexPay prepay; no Green Button, API, or EDI is offered. Retail rates pass through TVA wholesale costs.
Sevier County Electric System Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSA-1 | commercial | ~12.39 cents/kWh avg (FindEnergy); specific tariff $ not published | Small commercial |
| GSA-2 | commercial | Customer charge + demand $/kW + energy + TVA FCA (figures not published) | Demand-metered mid-size loads |
| GSA-3 | industrial | Customer charge + demand $/kW + energy + TVA FCA (figures not published) | Large demand-metered loads |
| Manufacturing | industrial | ~6.77 cents/kWh avg (FindEnergy); contract-demand TVA terms | Largest manufacturing loads |
Market Overview
SCES is a municipally owned, nonprofit distributor that purchases all power from TVA under a wholesale power contract. Tennessee has no retail electric choice; C&I customers cannot select a competitive supplier and retail rates pass through TVA wholesale adjustments.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Sevier County Electric System Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
SCES does not publish a state tariff book; retail rates are set locally and pass through TVA wholesale costs. The schedules below reflect the standard TVA-distributor structure (residential, general service, and demand-metered general/manufacturing power). Verified data points: the residential service charge was $20.06/mo with energy at $0.09436/kWh following the Oct. 1, 2023 TVA-driven increase; average commercial price is about 12.39 cents/kWh and average industrial about 6.77 cents/kWh per FindEnergy. Contact SCES for current C&I schedule figures.
Effective: October 1, 2023 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service / Small Commercial (GSA-1) | commercial | Small commercial loads (TVA GSA-1 class, no/low demand component). | Customer charge plus energy charge with TVA fuel cost adjustment; specific $ not published online. Average SCES commercial price ~12.39 cents/kWh (FindEnergy). Confirm with SCES. | — |
| Medium General Service (GSA-2) | commercial | Demand-metered commercial loads (mid-size, TVA GSA-2 class). | Customer charge + demand ($/kW) + energy charge + TVA fuel cost adjustment. Specific figures not published online; request current schedule from SCES. | — |
| Large General Service (GSA-3) | industrial | Large demand-metered commercial/industrial loads (TVA GSA-3 class). | Higher customer charge + demand ($/kW) + energy + TVA fuel cost adjustment; specific $ not published online. Confirm with SCES. | — |
| Manufacturing / Large Power | industrial | Largest manufacturing/industrial loads served under TVA manufacturing/large power terms. | Contract-demand based demand and energy charges passing through TVA wholesale rates. Average SCES industrial price ~6.77 cents/kWh (FindEnergy). Confirm current terms with SCES. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial (retail, office)
Standard small general service with no/low demand component.
GSA-1 fits low-demand loads; SCES averages ~12.39 cents/kWh for commercial (FindEnergy).
- Confirm GSA-1 vs GSA-2 thresholds with SCES
- Use the portal/FlexPay to watch usage
Mid-size demand-metered facility
Demand-metered general service with a $/kW demand charge.
Once demand is consistent, GSA-2's lower energy rate offsets the demand charge; manage peaks to control billed kW.
- Request current GSA-2 customer/demand/energy figures from SCES
- Improve load factor to spread demand cost
Large commercial / industrial
Large demand-metered general service (GSA-3).
For large loads, GSA-3 typically offers the lowest general-service energy rate with higher demand charges.
- Validate GSA-3 vs manufacturing class with SCES
- Manage coincident peak aggressively
Manufacturing / large power
Largest manufacturing loads under TVA contract-demand terms.
SCES industrial average is ~6.77 cents/kWh (FindEnergy), reflecting low energy rates with contract-demand pricing for high-load-factor plants.
- Set contract demand accurately to avoid excess-demand penalties
- Engage SCES and TVA on large-load terms early
Historical Rate Trends
SCES retail rates move with TVA wholesale rate decisions plus periodic local adjustments. A notable change took effect Oct. 1, 2023.
October 1, 2023
Combined ~4.5% increase: TVA wholesale +4.5% plus SCES local +1.5%. Residential service charge rose $20.00 to $20.06; energy $0.08968 to $0.09436/kWh (The Mountain Press).
+4.5%Overall trend: Upward, driven by TVA wholesale increases and rising operations/maintenance costs
Next expected change: Tied to future TVA Board wholesale rate actions and any local SCES adjustment
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because demand-metered SCES classes (GSA-2/3, manufacturing) carry $/kW demand charges and a TVA fuel cost adjustment, the main C&I levers are correct rate-class selection, demand/peak management, and tracking the monthly FCA.
Confirm the right rate class
For: All C&I
Ask SCES to review usage so the account sits on the lowest-cost class (GSA-1 vs GSA-2/3 vs manufacturing) for its load profile.
Demand / peak management
For: GSA-2, GSA-3, manufacturing
Shave coincident peaks and stagger equipment to lower billed kW on demand-metered classes.
Track the TVA fuel cost adjustment
For: All C&I
Monitor the monthly TVA FCA to anticipate bill swings and time discretionary load.
Use FlexPay for visibility
For: Small commercial
FlexPay's daily balance/usage data improves consumption visibility for budget-sensitive small commercial accounts.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Sevier County Electric System interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a C&I customer get interval or 15-minute demand data from SCES?▾
Not through self-service. SCES has not published AMI/interval capability. C&I customers should call (865) 453-2887 or use the contact form to request the finest available granularity (often daily); allow 5-10 business days and expect PDF/email delivery.
Does SCES support Green Button, an API, or third-party data access?▾
SCES is not in the Green Button Alliance directory and offers no public API or ESPI of its own. Nectar provides API access to SCES billing and interval data — see docs.nectarclimate.com. Other third-party access is manual and customer-authorized.
How does a consultant obtain a client's SCES data?▾
Get signed written customer authorization (account, data type, timeframe, purpose) and submit it to SCES by phone, contact form, or mail. SCES verifies and responds within 5-10 business days, subject to Tennessee privacy law.
Why don't SCES rates appear as a published tariff book?▾
SCES is a TVA distributor in a regulated, non-deregulated market. Retail rates are set locally and pass through TVA wholesale costs; published rate detail lives on the SCES billing page and in TVA wholesale schedules rather than a state tariff book.
Can C&I customers shop for a competitive electricity supplier?▾
No. Tennessee has no retail choice. SCES is the sole provider in its territory and buys all power from TVA.
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