Southwestern Public Service (Xcel Energy) Rate Selection Guide
Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS), a subsidiary of Xcel Energy, is the investor-owned electric utility serving the Texas Panhandle, South Plains, and eastern New Mexico. SPS offers C&I customers multiple data-access pathways including the My Account portal, the InfoWise 15-minute interval program, Green Button Connect My Data, EDI, and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager integration.
Southwestern Public Service (Xcel Energy) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary General Service | commercial | $33.13/mo + $0.010016/kWh + $22.35/kW summer ($18.62 winter) | Mid-size C&I at secondary voltage above 10 kW |
| Primary General Service | industrial | $76.13/mo + $0.00773/kWh + $19.55/kW summer ($16.57 winter) | Larger industrial loads able to take primary voltage |
| Small General Service | commercial | Fixed monthly charge + per-kWh energy (see tariff) | Small commercial with low demand |
| Large General Service / Special Contracts | industrial | Negotiated demand-based pricing (PUCT-approved) | Very large industrial / high-load-factor customers |
Market Overview
SPS is a regulated, vertically integrated electric utility. Unlike most of Texas, its service area is outside ERCOT and not subject to retail electric choice; rates are set by the PUCT and NMPRC through rate cases. C&I customers take bundled service under tariffed rate schedules.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Southwestern Public Service (Xcel Energy) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
SPS Texas C&I rates are bundled and tariffed by class and voltage. Secondary General Service and Primary General Service carry a fixed service-availability charge, a flat energy charge per kWh, and a seasonal demand charge per kW (higher in summer, June-September). Verified figures below are taken directly from the SPS Texas Electric Tariff sheets effective February 1, 2024. New Mexico rates differ and are set by the NMPRC.
Effective: February 1, 2024 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary General Service | commercial | Commercial and industrial service at secondary voltage (below 69 kV) above 10 kW of demand, single point of delivery, Texas service territory. | Service Availability Charge $33.13/month; Energy Charge $0.010016/kWh; Demand Charge $22.35/kW summer (Jun-Sep) and $18.62/kW winter (Oct-May). Subject to fuel cost recovery factor (PUCT Sheet IV-69) and a power-factor adjustment above 200 kW. | — |
| Primary General Service | industrial | Larger commercial and industrial customers taking service at primary voltage, Texas service territory. | Service Availability Charge $76.13/month; Energy Charge $0.00773/kWh; Demand Charge $19.55/kW summer (Jun-Sep) and $16.57/kW winter (Oct-May). Subject to fuel cost recovery and power-factor adjustment. | — |
| Small General Service | commercial | Smaller commercial customers with low demand at secondary voltage, Texas service territory. | Fixed monthly service-availability charge plus a per-kWh energy charge; generally no demand charge at this size. See the Small General Service tariff sheet for current dollar figures. | — |
| Large General Service / Special Contracts | industrial | Very large industrial and high-load-factor customers (e.g. large data center / industrial load) served under negotiated special contracts approved by the PUCT. | Demand-based, voltage-differentiated pricing with energy, demand, and facilities charges; large loads may be served under individually approved special contracts rather than a standard tariff. Consult the SPS Texas Electric Rate Book for current terms. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial facility (office, retail, light industrial)
Most mid-size C&I premises above 10 kW fall under Secondary General Service.
Secondary General Service is the standard C&I tariff at secondary voltage; its demand charge ($22.35/kW summer, $18.62 winter) is the main cost lever, so peak management drives savings.
- Enroll in InfoWise for 15-minute interval data
- Target summer (Jun-Sep) peak demand reduction
- Monitor power factor if approaching 200 kW
Large industrial / high-load plant
Larger industrial loads able to take primary voltage should evaluate Primary General Service.
Primary General Service offers a lower energy charge ($0.00773/kWh) and lower demand charge, rewarding customers who own transformation and operate at primary voltage.
- Compare total cost of secondary vs primary including transformer ownership
- Maintain high power factor to avoid adjustment charges
- Use interval data to flatten load profile
Very large / data-center-scale load
Loads in the tens to hundreds of MW are typically served under PUCT-approved special contracts.
SPS has executed large special contracts (e.g. recent multi-hundred-MW agreements); negotiated demand-based terms suit high-load-factor industrial and data-center customers.
- Engage SPS/Xcel account management early for special-contract terms
- Model demand and facilities charges across voltage levels
- Plan interconnection and AMI metering for interval data
Multi-site portfolio / benchmarking
Organizations with many SPS premises should centralize data for benchmarking.
Green Button Connect My Data and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager integration let portfolio managers pull bill and interval data across all sites for benchmarking and demand management.
- Authorize a Green Button service provider for automated pulls
- Link each account in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
- Use the Business Services portal for multi-meter administration
Historical Rate Trends
SPS base rates are reset through periodic PUCT and NMPRC rate cases, with the per-kWh fuel cost recovery factor updated more frequently to track fuel costs. The verified C&I tariff figures on this page reflect the schedules approved effective February 1, 2024.
February 1, 2024
SPS Texas C&I tariff sheets (Secondary and Primary General Service) approved effective; current verified service-availability, energy, and seasonal demand charges set.
Overall trend: Rising. SPS, like other Xcel subsidiaries, has filed successive rate increases to recover generation, transmission, and AMI investment; fuel factors fluctuate with natural-gas prices.
Next expected change: Subject to pending and future PUCT/NMPRC rate cases and periodic fuel cost recovery updates.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because demand and fuel charges dominate SPS C&I bills, the highest-impact savings come from managing summer peak demand, improving power factor, and qualifying for higher-voltage service.
Manage summer peak demand
For: C&I on Secondary/Primary General Service
Demand charges are highest June-September. Shifting or curtailing peak kW (staging equipment, thermal storage, load control) directly cuts the demand component, which is the largest line item for most C&I accounts.
Correct power factor
For: C&I loads above 200 kW
Loads above 200 kW are subject to a power-factor adjustment charge when power factor falls below ~90% lagging. Installing capacitor banks to keep power factor high avoids the surcharge.
Take service at primary voltage
For: Larger C&I able to take primary voltage
Primary General Service carries a lower energy charge ($0.00773 vs $0.010016/kWh) and lower demand charge than Secondary. Customers able to own/operate their own transformation can qualify and lower per-unit costs.
Use interval data for load analysis
For: All C&I
Enroll in InfoWise or Green Button to obtain 15-minute interval data, then identify peak drivers and verify the savings from demand-management measures.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Southwestern Public Service (Xcel Energy) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a commercial customer get 15-minute interval data from SPS?▾
Submit the InfoWise (Empower Intelligence) interest form selecting the number of meters and a refresh tier (monthly, daily, or real-time). Xcel contacts you within 5-10 business days to enable web dashboard, CSV export, or API access. AMI-equipped premises can alternatively share interval data through Green Button Connect My Data.
Can an energy consultant pull our SPS data automatically?▾
Yes. The cleanest path is Green Button Connect My Data: the consultant registers as a Green Button Service Provider, you authorize them through your My Account portal, and they pull bill and 15-minute interval data via the OAuth/ESPI API. For one-time history, a signed data release form delivers CSV/Excel within 14 days.
Does SPS support EDI for invoices and payments?▾
Yes. Xcel Energy supports ANSI X12 EDI for SPS, including the 810 invoice and 820 payment order over SFTP or VAN. Complete the EDI Customer Information Form, select SPS as the operating company, and the Xcel EDI team provisions test then production credentials.
Is SPS service deregulated like the rest of Texas?▾
No. SPS operates outside ERCOT in the Southwest Power Pool, so there is no retail electric choice in its Texas Panhandle/South Plains and New Mexico territory. Rates are bundled and set by the PUCT (Texas) and NMPRC (New Mexico).
How much billing history can we download?▾
The My Account portal provides up to 24 months of billing history that C&I customers can view and download as PDF, plus usage exports. Longer histories can be requested through a formal data release.
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