Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) Rate Selection Guide
Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), an American Electric Power subsidiary, serves about 553,000 electric customers across western Arkansas, central and northwestern Louisiana, and East Texas. SWEPCO is Green Button Connect My Data certified via UtilityAPI and offers 13 months of billing history plus 15-minute interval data where smart meters are deployed.
Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service (GS) | commercial | Customer + energy charge; demand above threshold (see tariff) | Small to mid-size commercial |
| Large General Service (LGS) | commercial | Customer + demand ($/kW) + energy (see tariff) | Larger commercial / light industrial |
| Large Power / Industrial | industrial | Demand-driven, voltage-differentiated (see tariff) | Large industrial loads |
| ES-LL (proposed) | industrial | Standard-form large-load contract (pending PUCT) | New loads >= 75 MW |
Market Overview
Regulated, bundled service across AR, LA, and TX (regulated SPP, not ERCOT). No competitive retail supplier choice for SWEPCO customers; rates approved by PUCT, APSC, and LPSC.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
SWEPCO's Texas C&I rates are bundled, PUCT-regulated tariffs combining a customer charge, a demand charge ($/kW) for larger classes, an energy charge ($/kWh), plus riders (fuel/fixed-fuel factor, energy efficiency, and the temporary Turk Remand Credit Rider). Exact per-unit charges are set in the Texas Rates, Charges and Fees tariff book and change with periodic filings; we cite the tariff book for current figures rather than asserting unverified numbers. A verified reference point: SWEPCO reports an average Texas residential bill of about $142.03 for ~1,100 kWh/month before the Turk credit. In October 2025 SWEPCO filed a Statement of Intent seeking an overall net increase of roughly 13.48% in total fuel and non-fuel revenues. C&I structures (GS, LGS, Large Power) layer demand and energy charges; consult the tariff book for the schedule applicable to your facility.
Effective: March 31, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service (GS) | commercial | Small to mid-size commercial customers below the LGS demand threshold. | Monthly customer charge + energy charge ($/kWh); demand charge applies above a defined kW threshold. Plus fuel and rider charges. See tariff book for current per-unit rates. | — |
| Large General Service (LGS) | commercial | Larger commercial and light-industrial customers with demand metering. | Customer charge + billing demand charge ($/kW) + energy charge ($/kWh), plus fuel/fixed-fuel factor and riders. Per-unit figures in the Texas tariff book. | — |
| Large Power / Industrial Service | industrial | Large industrial loads served at primary or transmission voltage. | Demand-driven structure with customer charge, demand charge ($/kW), declining or voltage-differentiated energy charges, plus riders. See tariff book. | — |
| Electric Service - Large Load (ES-LL, proposed) | industrial | New loads with contract capacity >= 75 MW (data centers, large industrials); filed with PUCT October 2025. | Standard-form large-load contract with minimum demand/take-or-pay style provisions intended to protect other customers from stranded cost; terms pending PUCT approval. See PUCT Control No. 58796. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial facility (office, retail, light industrial)
Verify whether you belong on General Service or Large General Service based on your demand level; LGS adds a billing demand charge but typically lowers the energy rate.
The crossover between GS and LGS depends on monthly peak kW and load factor. High-load-factor facilities usually benefit from LGS.
- Pull 13 months of interval data via Green Button to compute load factor
- Track your monthly peak kW; it sets the demand charge
- Confirm the active fuel factor and Turk credit on recent bills
Large industrial / high-demand operation
Engage your SWEPCO account representative to confirm Large Power service and the optimal service voltage; higher-voltage service generally reduces $/kWh.
Demand charges and voltage level dominate large-industrial bills; taking service at primary/transmission voltage can materially cut cost.
- Use 15-minute interval data to find and shave coincident peaks
- Evaluate power factor / KVA penalties
- Watch SPP-driven fuel cost movement in the fixed-fuel factor
Very large new load (data center, 75+ MW)
New loads at or above 75 MW contract capacity should plan for the proposed Electric Service - Large Load (ES-LL) standard contract filed with the PUCT in October 2025.
ES-LL introduces minimum-demand and cost-protection terms for very large customers; early engagement avoids surprises.
- Review PUCT Control No. 58796 for current ES-LL terms
- Model take-or-pay / minimum demand obligations
- Coordinate interconnection studies early with SWEPCO/SPP
Historical Rate Trends
SWEPCO Texas rates have trended upward with fuel cost recovery and infrastructure investment, partially offset by the Turk Remand Credit. In January 2025 the PUCT approved a settlement returning about $147.5 million (the Turk Remand Credit) to Texas customers over 24 months beginning February 2025. In October 2025 SWEPCO filed a Statement of Intent seeking an overall net increase of roughly 13.48% in fuel and non-fuel revenues.
February 1, 2025
Turk Remand Credit Rider begins: ~$147.5M returned to Texas customers over 24 months (about $13.52-$19.04/month for an average residential bill).
creditOctober 14, 2025
SWEPCO files a Petition and Statement of Intent with the PUCT seeking an overall net increase of roughly 13.48% in total fuel and non-fuel revenues.
+13.48% (requested)Overall trend: Upward base/fuel pressure, temporarily offset by the Turk Remand Credit through early 2027.
Next expected change: Outcome of the October 2025 Texas Statement of Intent (Control No. 58819) and the proposed ES-LL contract (Control No. 58796).
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because SWEPCO Texas customers cannot shop for a competitive supplier, C&I savings come from correct schedule selection, demand management, power-factor correction, and rider awareness.
Right-size your rate schedule
For: All C&I
Compare GS vs LGS (and Large Power) using your actual load factor and peak kW to land on the lowest-cost applicable schedule.
Peak demand management
For: Demand-metered C&I
Use 15-minute interval data to identify and shave coincident peaks that set the monthly billing demand charge.
Power factor correction
For: Industrial / large commercial
Correct low power factor to avoid KVA/power-factor penalties on larger schedules.
Track fuel and credit riders
For: All Texas C&I
Monitor the fuel/fixed-fuel factor and the Turk Remand Credit Rider, which currently reduces Texas bills, to forecast cost accurately.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can SWEPCO C&I customers in Texas choose a competitive electricity supplier?▾
No. SWEPCO's Texas territory is in regulated Southwest Power Pool (SPP) territory, not the competitive ERCOT market. C&I customers buy bundled service from SWEPCO at PUCT-approved rates and cannot shop for a retail electric provider as ERCOT-area customers can.
How does a business get interval (15-minute) data for energy analysis?▾
On accounts with AMI smart meters, download a Green Button (ESPI XML) file from the Energy Usage dashboard, or authorize a third party through Green Button Connect My Data via UtilityAPI to pull meter, bill, and 15-minute interval data through the API.
What drives a SWEPCO commercial bill the most?▾
For demand-metered C&I schedules (LGS, Large Power), the billing demand charge ($/kW) and the fuel/fixed-fuel factor are usually the largest components, often outweighing the base energy charge. Managing peak demand has the biggest impact.
What is the Turk Remand Credit Rider on Texas bills?▾
It is a temporary bill credit returning about $147.5 million to Texas customers over 24 months beginning February 2025, following a PUCT-approved settlement over Turk Power Plant construction financing costs. Credit amounts vary with usage.
Is there a special rate for very large new loads like data centers?▾
SWEPCO filed a proposed Electric Service - Large Load (ES-LL) standard contract with the PUCT in October 2025 (Control No. 58796) that would generally apply to new customers with contract capacity of 75 MW or more. Terms are pending Commission approval.
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