Silicon Valley Power (City of Santa Clara) Rate Selection Guide
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) is the municipally owned electric utility of the City of Santa Clara, serving about 60,980 accounts. SVP is known for some of California's lowest electric rates and a large data-center load. It has deployed AMI for 15-minute interval metering but offers no Green Button, public API, or formal third-party data program - access runs through the My Utilities Account portal and manual data requests.
Silicon Valley Power (City of Santa Clara) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule C-1 - General Service | Commercial | $5.52/mo + 26.620¢/24.166¢ per kWh (non-TOU) | Small commercial / low-demand sites |
| Schedule CB-1 - Demand Metered | Commercial/Industrial | $100.45/mo + $12.14/kW + 16.139¢/kWh (non-TOU) | Mid-size demand-metered C&I over 8,000 kWh/mo |
| Schedule CB-3 / CB-6 / CB-7 | Industrial | Large demand-metered (see tariff book) | Large industrial / data-center class loads |
Market Overview
SVP is a municipal utility governed by the Santa Clara City Council, not the CPUC. Customers have no retail supplier choice or CCA option; SVP is the sole provider. Its public-power cost structure underpins rates well below California IOU averages.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Silicon Valley Power (City of Santa Clara) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Verified from SVP's published rate schedules effective January 1, 2026 (Resolution No. 25-9516), reflecting the City Council's 4% rate adjustment approved December 2025. Figures below are taken directly from the C-1 and CB-1 tariff sheets; the larger demand schedules (CB-3/6/7/8) are listed structurally - consult the tariff book for exact figures.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule C-1 - General Service | commercial | Commercial customers not qualifying for D-1 or the CB demand schedules; power/heating with or without lighting through one meter. TOU option available. | Single-phase Customer Charge $5.52/meter/month; Energy: first 800 kWh @ 26.620¢/kWh, excess @ 24.166¢/kWh (non-TOU). TOU peak/off-peak: first 800 kWh 28.968¢/24.697¢, excess 26.514¢/22.242¢. Three-phase adds $4.33/month. Plus Public Benefits (x0.0285) and State Surcharge. | — |
| Schedule CB-1 - General Service Demand Metered | commercial | Commercial/industrial whose energy use has exceeded 8,000 kWh for three consecutive months (up to 4,000 kW demand). TOU option available. | Customer Charge $100.45/meter/month; Demand Charge $12.14/kW of billing demand (TOU: $12.14 peak / $0.00 off-peak); Energy 16.139¢/kWh non-TOU (TOU: 18.490¢ peak / 14.217¢ off-peak). Maximum demand on 15-minute interval; billing demand is mean of current and highest prior-12-month demand. Plus Public Benefits and State Surcharge; primary-voltage and power-factor adjustments apply. | — |
| Schedule CB-3 - General Service Demand Metered (larger) | industrial | Larger general-service demand-metered customers above the CB-1 range. | Demand-metered structure (customer + demand + energy charges) - exact 2026 figures published in the SVP tariff book; structure parallels CB-1 with higher demand thresholds. | — |
| Schedule CB-7 - Large Combined General Service | industrial | Very large combined general-service loads (e.g., large industrial / data-center class). | Large demand-metered combined-service structure (customer + demand + energy components) - consult the SVP tariff book for exact 2026 figures. | — |
| Schedule CB-6 - Large General Service | industrial | Large general-service demand-metered customers. | Large demand-metered structure (customer + demand + energy components) - exact 2026 figures in the SVP tariff book. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial site (low, steady load)
Stay on Schedule C-1 and watch the 800 kWh tier breakpoint.
C-1 has only a $5.52 customer charge and no demand charge; energy drops from 26.620¢ to 24.166¢/kWh above 800 kWh. Demand metering (CB-1) isn't worth it until sustained use exceeds 8,000 kWh/month.
- Confirm you don't trip the 8,000 kWh/3-month CB-1 threshold unintentionally.
- Consider the TOU option if load is concentrated off-peak.
- Track monthly kWh to anticipate a move to CB-1.
Mid-size demand-metered C&I
On CB-1, prioritize demand management and evaluate TOU.
The $12.14/kW demand charge with a 12-month averaging ratchet makes peak control the top lever; TOU can zero out off-peak demand and lower off-peak energy to 14.217¢.
- Use 15-minute data to find and shave peaks.
- Model the TOU option against your load shape.
- Correct power factor toward 85%+ if demand exceeds 300 kW.
Large industrial / data-center load
Evaluate the large demand schedules (CB-3/6/7) and primary-voltage service.
SVP's low energy rates make it attractive for data centers; at scale, primary-voltage delivery, power-factor correction, and schedule placement drive the economics. Confirm exact CB-3/6/7 figures in the tariff book.
- Engage the Commercial Services team at (408) 615-6650.
- Take primary-voltage service where feasible for the per-kW discount.
- Pull 15-minute interval data to optimize demand and PF.
Energy manager needing interval data for analytics
Request 15-minute AMI data manually; plan for lead time.
SVP collects 15-minute interval data but exposes only aggregates in the portal and offers no Green Button/API; data must be requested by email/phone.
- Email utilitybilling@santaclaraca.gov with account, date range, and CSV preference.
- Allow 1-3 weeks and keep customer authorizations on file.
- Cross-reference interval data against CB-1 demand windows for savings.
Historical Rate Trends
SVP rates are reset by Santa Clara City Council resolution. The current schedules took effect January 1, 2026 (Resolution No. 25-9516), implementing a 4% rate adjustment approved December 16, 2025, superseding the January 1, 2025 rates (Resolution No. 24-9400).
January 1, 2026
City Council-approved 4% SVP rate adjustment effective January 2026 (Resolution No. 25-9516), superseding the 2025 schedules.
+4%Overall trend: Modest annual increases to cover rising material/construction costs while remaining far below California IOU averages.
Next expected change: Future adjustments set by City Council resolution (typically effective January 1); monitor SVP rate news.
Cost Optimization Strategies
With SVP's low energy rates, the largest C&I savings come from demand management and from the CB-1 TOU option, which eliminates off-peak demand charges and lowers off-peak energy. Power factor and primary-voltage choices also move the needle for larger accounts.
Elect the CB-1 Time-of-Use option
For: Schedule CB-1
TOU charges $0.00 off-peak demand and 14.217¢/kWh off-peak energy vs. 16.139¢ flat. Shifting load out of the Mon-Sat 6am-10pm peak window can cut both demand and energy cost.
Manage 15-minute peak demand
For: Schedule CB-1 and larger demand schedules
Billing demand is the mean of current and highest prior-12-month 15-minute demand, so a single high peak elevates bills for up to a year. Stagger startups and shave peaks.
Correct power factor
For: Schedule CB-1 (>300 kW)
On CB-1, when demand exceeds 300 kW, bills adjust ±0.1% for each 1% the power factor deviates from 85%. Capacitor correction toward/above 85% reduces charges.
Take primary-voltage service
For: Schedule CB-1 (primary-served)
Accepting delivery at primary (12kV) line voltage earns a $1.52/kW billing-demand discount on CB-1 for customers able to own/operate transformation.
Use free commercial energy audits
For: All C&I
SVP offers free commercial audits and rebates that surface efficiency and demand-reduction opportunities specific to the site.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Silicon Valley Power (City of Santa Clara) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SVP have 15-minute interval data, and how do C&I customers get it?▾
Yes - SVP has deployed AMI utility-wide and its demand-metered rate schedules (e.g., CB-1) compute maximum demand on a 15-minute interval. The portal only shows daily/monthly aggregates, so 15-minute extracts must be requested by email (utilitybilling@santaclaraca.gov) or phone (408) 615-2300, with ~1-3 week turnaround in CSV/text.
Does Silicon Valley Power offer Green Button, an API, or EDI?▾
No. Unlike PG&E/SCE/SDG&E, SVP offers no Green Button (DMD or CMD), no public API/developer portal, and no published EDI program. It is also not currently supported on UtilityAPI. All access is manual and authorization-based.
How can a consultant pull a client's SVP data for a building analysis?▾
Prepare an authorization letter on letterhead with the client's account number, data scope, and purpose; email utilitybilling@santaclaraca.gov with subject 'Third-Party Data Access Request - [Account Number]', then call (408) 615-2300 to confirm. SVP may require direct customer confirmation; expect 1-3 weeks.
Which rate schedules apply to commercial and industrial customers?▾
Schedule C-1 (General Service, smaller loads), CB-1 (General Service Demand-Metered, over 8,000 kWh/month up to 4,000 kW), plus large/combined demand schedules CB-3, CB-6, CB-7, and CB-8. Verified C-1 and CB-1 figures (effective Jan 1, 2026) are in the rate sections below.
Why are SVP rates so much lower than nearby PG&E rates?▾
As a not-for-profit municipal utility with low-cost owned/contracted generation and no shareholder return requirement, SVP's rates run well below California IOU averages. For example, CB-1's non-TOU energy charge is about 16.1¢/kWh (effective 2026) - a large advantage for energy-intensive loads like data centers.
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