Southside Electric Cooperative Rate Selection Guide
Southside Electric Cooperative (SEC) is a member-owned electric cooperative serving about 59,000 accounts across 18 counties in central and southside Virginia. SEC offers billing and 15-minute AMI interval data through the NISC SmartHub portal, including Green Button Download My Data, but has no formal third-party aggregator program.
Southside Electric Cooperative Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule GSS | commercial | Customer charge + energy charge (per tariff) + PCA | Small single-phase businesses |
| Schedule GTP | commercial | Customer charge + demand charge per kW + energy charge + PCA | Three-phase commercial accounts with measurable demand |
| Schedule I | industrial | Customer charge + demand charge per kW + energy charge + PCA | Industrial loads |
| PCA-1 rider | commercial | $0.02947/kWh (eff. May 1, 2026) | Applies to all accounts |
Market Overview
SEC is a not-for-profit, member-owned distribution cooperative. Members cannot shop for a competitive supplier; SEC provides bundled service and recovers wholesale power costs through the Energy Supply Service (ESS) rate and a Power Cost Adjustment (PCA). Rate adjustments are submitted to the Virginia State Corporation Commission for review and acceptance.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Southside Electric Cooperative Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
SEC's C&I rate schedules include General Single-Phase Service (GSS), General Three-Phase Service (GTP), and Industrial Power (Schedule I), plus security lighting. All accounts are also subject to the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) rider. Per-unit energy charges are published in stamped tariff PDFs; the verified 2026 PCA is $0.01861/kWh effective January 1 and $0.02947/kWh effective May 1. The residential demand charge component rose $0.38 to $3.38/kW for 2026.
Effective: May 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Single-Phase Service (Schedule GSS) | commercial | Small commercial single-phase general service accounts. | Monthly facilities/customer charge plus per-kWh energy charge; subject to PCA rider. Per-unit rates in stamped tariff PDF. | — |
| General Three-Phase Service (Schedule GTP) | commercial | Larger commercial three-phase general service accounts with demand. | Monthly customer charge, demand charge per kW of billing demand, and per-kWh energy charge; subject to PCA rider. Per-unit rates in stamped tariff PDF. | — |
| Industrial Power (Schedule I) | industrial | Industrial customers with larger demand requirements. | Monthly customer charge, demand charge per kW, and energy charge per kWh; subject to PCA rider. Per-unit rates in stamped tariff PDF. | — |
| Power Cost Adjustment (Schedule PCA-1) | commercial | All metered accounts as a per-kWh rider. | Pass-through of wholesale power cost with no markup. Verified: $0.01861/kWh effective Jan 1, 2026; $0.02947/kWh effective May 1, 2026. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Three-phase commercial facility
For a commercial site on Schedule GTP, demand charges and the PCA dominate the bill. Use SmartHub 15-minute data to manage peaks.
GTP applies a per-kW demand charge to monthly peak, so even small peak reductions cut cost while the PCA rises.
- Pull 15-minute interval data from SmartHub
- Identify the intervals that set monthly demand
- Shift or stagger equipment startups to flatten peaks
Industrial load
Industrial accounts on Schedule I should baseline load with interval data and target both demand and energy components.
Schedule I carries both demand and energy charges plus the PCA, so demand-side management and efficiency both pay off.
- Establish a load profile baseline from 14 months of interval history
- Coordinate large process loads to avoid coincident peaks
- Track PCA changes when budgeting
Energy consultant / aggregator
Without a formal Share My Data feed, rely on customer-initiated Green Button XML or signed direct data requests to SEC.
SEC has no automated CMD/aggregator program, so manual Green Button exports or authorized direct requests are the reliable paths.
- Collect signed customer authorization up front
- Have the customer export Green Button XML from SmartHub
- Submit direct requests to Member Services with account, period, and purpose
Multi-site small business
Small single-phase sites on Schedule GSS should focus on energy efficiency since they lack a demand charge but still pay the rising PCA.
GSS has no demand component, so kWh reduction and the PCA are the main cost levers.
- Benchmark sites against each other using SmartHub usage
- Target lighting and HVAC efficiency
- Enroll in levelized billing for predictability
Historical Rate Trends
SEC's wholesale power cost from ODEC has risen sharply, driving repeated PCA increases in 2026. The Energy Supply Service (ESS) rate has been unchanged since 2020; nearly 70% of the 2026 increase is wholesale power cost passed through the PCA.
January 1, 2026
PCA increased from $0.01144 to $0.01861 per kWh; residential demand charge increased $0.38 to $3.38 per kW.
+63%May 1, 2026
PCA increased again to $0.02947 per kWh as ODEC wholesale power costs rose.
+58%Overall trend: Increasing, driven by PJM capacity and transmission cost growth tied to Virginia data-center demand.
Next expected change: PCA is reviewed at least annually and may adjust again; subject to Virginia SCC acceptance.
Cost Optimization Strategies
With demand charges on GTP and Schedule I plus a fast-rising PCA, C&I accounts at SEC benefit most from peak-demand management and load-shifting using 15-minute SmartHub interval data.
Peak demand management
For: Schedule GTP and Schedule I accounts
Use 15-minute interval data to identify and shave coincident peaks that set the monthly billing demand on GTP and Schedule I.
Load shifting
For: Three-phase commercial and industrial
Shift discretionary load away from facility peak periods to lower billed demand.
Smart thermostat / demand response
For: Accounts with controllable HVAC
Enroll eligible HVAC in the ODEC-partnered demand-response program to reduce peak usage and earn bill credits.
Levelized billing
For: All accounts
Smooth seasonal volatility with levelized billing for predictable monthly costs.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Southside Electric Cooperative interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a third-party consultant get automated access to our interval data?▾
Not through a formal program. SEC has no published Share My Data or Green Button Connect My Data feed. The most reliable method today is for the customer to download Green Button XML from SmartHub and share it, or to submit a signed authorization to SEC Member Services for a direct data request.
What interval granularity is available for a commercial account?▾
AMI meters capture 15-minute data, which is accessible via the SmartHub API. Portal and Green Button downloads are typically hourly, with up to 14 months of history.
How does SEC bill demand for C&I accounts?▾
Larger commercial and industrial accounts are billed on demand-based schedules (Schedule GTP for three-phase general service and Schedule I for industrial power), where the demand charge is applied to the maximum kW used during the billing period. For 2026 the cooperative-wide demand charge component increased by $0.38 per kW.
What is the Power Cost Adjustment and how does it affect my bill?▾
The PCA passes through SEC's wholesale power cost from ODEC with no markup. Effective January 1, 2026 the PCA changed from $0.01144 to $0.01861 per kWh, and effective May 1, 2026 it increased again to $0.02947 per kWh.
Is there an EDI program for large accounts?▾
SEC does not publish a retail EDI program. NISC infrastructure can support transactions like 867 and 810 internally, but C&I customers should contact SEC directly to confirm any trading-partner capability.
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