Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation Rate Selection Guide
Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (URECC) is a member-owned electric cooperative serving roughly 51,500 meters across 10 counties in rural Northeast Texas. As a cooperative that has opted out of ERCOT retail competition, URECC operates on regulated, board-approved rate schedules and delivers customer data access through the NISC SmartHub portal.
Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule B | Small Commercial / General | $0.097067/kWh + $0.70/kW + $26.50 base | Smaller single-phase businesses with modest, steady load |
| Schedule C | Commercial & Industrial Power | $0.071262/kWh + $7.25/kW + $75.00 base | Three-phase facilities up to ~50 kW with meaningful demand |
| Schedule LPI | Large Power Industrial | $0.048059/kWh + $15.75/kW + $175.00 base | Industrial loads over 50 kW with high load factor |
| Rider REC | Renewable adder (LPI) | +$0.003/kWh | Large members seeking 100% renewable energy certificates |
Market Overview
URECC is a member-owned electric cooperative operating in a regulated, non-competitive territory. It has opted out of ERCOT retail electric choice, so commercial and industrial members cannot select a competitive retail electricity provider. Rates are governed by board-approved tariff schedules (Member Policies Section S), with fuel and purchased-power costs adjusted monthly through the Power Cost Recovery Factor (PCRF) rider. Wholesale power is supplied via Northeast Texas Electric Cooperative (NTEC).
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
URECC's commercial and industrial rates are set by its board-approved tariff (Member Policies and Schedules, Section S, version 11/25/2025), with new rates effective January 1, 2026. C&I members are served under Schedule B (small commercial/general), Schedule C (commercial & industrial power), and Schedule LPI (large power - industrial). All schedules carry a base charge plus per-kWh energy charge, and demand-metered schedules add a per-kW demand charge. The PCRF rider adjusts all kWh charges monthly (base power cost $0.076116/kWh).
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule B - Small Commercial and General Service | commercial | Single-phase commercial, industrial, or general-service members; motors not exceeding 10 H.P. without approval. Single-phase service under 50 KVA transformer capacity. | Base charge $26.50/meter/month + demand charge $0.70/billing kW + energy charge $0.097067/kWh, plus PCRF rider. | Energy $0.097067/kWh+ $0.70 per billing kW |
| Schedule C - Commercial and Industrial Power Service | commercial | Three-phase commercial/industrial members not covered by other schedules; three-phase service with estimated demand of 50 kW or less (or up to LPI threshold, whichever rate is more favorable). | Base charge $75.00/meter/month + demand charge $7.25/billing kW + energy charge $0.071262/kWh, plus PCRF rider. Billing demand = max 15-minute kW, power-factor adjusted; minimum 85% of highest demand in prior 11 months. | Energy $0.071262/kWh+ $7.25 per billing kW |
| Schedule LPI - Large Power Service, Industrial | industrial | Three-phase members with connected loads over 50 kW or 50 H.P. that maintain demand over 50 kW for at least 9 months of the year. | Base charge $175.00/meter/month + demand charge $15.75/billing kW + energy charge $0.048059/kWh, plus PCRF rider. Billing demand = max 15-minute kW, power-factor adjusted. Highly-fluctuating-load capacity charge of $1.00/kVA may apply. | Energy $0.048059/kWh+ $15.75 per billing kW |
| Schedule PPB - Prepaid Small Commercial and General Service | commercial | Single-phase commercial/general-service members at 200-amp locations electing prepaid metering; equivalent to Schedule B eligibility. | Base charge $26.50/meter/month + demand charge $0.70/billing kW + energy charge $0.097067/kWh, billed against a prepaid balance, plus PCRF rider. | Energy $0.097067/kWh+ $0.70 per billing kW |
| Rider REC - Renewable Energy Credit Rider | industrial | Available to LPI/Large Power members who execute a 100% Renewable Energy Certificate agreement. | Adder of $0.003/kWh (3 dollars per REC) on all kWh purchased, on top of the underlying LPI schedule charges; price adjusted annually to REC market conditions. | $0.003/kWh adder+ N/A (rider on top of LPI) |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small single-phase business
Smaller commercial sites with modest, single-phase load are served under Schedule B.
Schedule B's $0.70/kW demand charge is nominal, so the $0.097067/kWh energy rate and $26.50 base dominate the bill. Best where demand is low and load is intermittent.
- Track usage in SmartHub to confirm low load factor
- If three-phase service or higher demand develops, ask URECC to evaluate Schedule C
Mid-size three-phase commercial facility
Three-phase facilities up to roughly 50 kW of demand are served under Schedule C.
Schedule C's lower energy rate ($0.071262/kWh) offsets its $7.25/kW demand charge once load factor is meaningful. The 85% demand ratchet rewards consistent operation.
- Manage the peak 15-minute interval to limit demand charges
- Maintain power factor >= 0.95 to avoid demand penalties
- Watch the 85%-of-prior-11-months demand minimum
Large industrial load (>50 kW)
Industrial members above 50 kW sustained demand should be on Schedule LPI.
LPI's $0.048059/kWh energy rate is the lowest available and rewards high load factor despite the $15.75/kW demand charge and $175 base. URECC's December review auto-selects the cheaper of C vs. LPI.
- Confirm demand stays >50 kW for 9+ months to keep LPI eligibility
- Add Rider REC (+$0.003/kWh) if pursuing 100% renewable certificates
- Invest in power-factor correction given the high demand rate
Data access for energy managers / consultants
Third parties supporting URECC C&I members should plan for SmartHub-based, customer-authorized data.
URECC has no Green Button, public API, or formal third-party data portal. Reliable access is through customer-authorized SmartHub exports or written authorization filed with Member Services.
- Have the member export hourly usage and PDF bills from SmartHub
- File written authorization with Member Services for ongoing access
- Avoid unofficial reverse-engineered APIs for production use
Historical Rate Trends
URECC's board approved revised rate schedules on 09-16-2025, taking effect 01-01-2026, with a further step published for 01-01-2027. The tariff also reflects an embedded base power cost of $0.076116/kWh recovered through the monthly PCRF rider.
January 1, 2026
Board-approved Section S rate schedules took effect: Schedule C base $75.00, demand $7.25/kW, energy $0.071262/kWh; Schedule LPI base $175.00, demand $15.75/kW, energy $0.048059/kWh.
varies by componentJanuary 1, 2027
Published next step: Schedule C base $80.00 and demand $8.00/kW; Schedule B demand rises $0.70 to $1.10/kW; residential base $26.50 to $28.50.
varies by componentOverall trend: Modest scheduled increases to fixed/base and demand charges, with energy charges roughly flat to slightly lower for C&I schedules across the 2026-2027 steps.
Next expected change: January 1, 2027 (rates already published: e.g., Schedule C demand $7.25 to $8.00/kW, base $75 to $80; Schedule B demand $0.70 to $1.10/kW).
Cost Optimization Strategies
For URECC C&I members, the largest savings levers are demand management, power-factor correction, and ensuring correct rate classification (Schedule C vs. LPI). Because demand is billed on the peak 15-minute interval with an 85% ratchet on Schedule C, smoothing peaks directly lowers bills.
Peak demand management
For: Schedule C and LPI members
Stagger startup of large motors/HVAC and shift non-critical loads off coincident peaks to reduce the billed 15-minute demand kW, which drives Schedule C ($7.25/kW) and LPI ($15.75/kW) charges.
Power-factor correction
For: Schedule C and LPI demand-metered members
Maintain power factor at or above 0.95. Below that, URECC increases billed demand 1% per 1% of PF deficiency, inflating demand charges. Capacitor banks can eliminate the penalty.
Rate classification review
For: Members near the 50 kW threshold
Verify placement on the cheaper of Schedule C vs. LPI. URECC reviews this each December; members with growing demand over 50 kW and high load factor often benefit from LPI's lower energy rate ($0.048059 vs. $0.071262/kWh).
Interval data monitoring via SmartHub
For: All C&I members
Use SmartHub hourly/15-minute usage data to identify peak windows and verify demand billing, supporting targeted load-shifting and bill validation.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Which URECC rate schedule applies to my commercial or industrial facility?▾
Single-phase commercial sites typically fall under Schedule B. Three-phase facilities up to about 50 kW of demand are served under Schedule C ($0.071262/kWh energy + $7.25/kW demand), and loads sustaining over 50 kW for at least nine months a year qualify for Schedule LPI ($0.048059/kWh energy + $15.75/kW demand). URECC reviews accounts each December and automatically places qualifying members on whichever of Schedule C or LPI is cheaper.
How is my demand charge calculated, and is there a ratchet?▾
Billing demand is the maximum kilowatt demand over any consecutive 15-minute period in the month, adjusted for power factor. On Schedule C, the minimum monthly charge is the greater of the base charge or 85% of the highest demand established in the preceding 11 months, so a single high peak can elevate bills for nearly a year.
Does URECC offer Green Button or an API for usage data?▾
No. URECC does not offer Green Button Download My Data, Connect My Data, or an official public API. Usage and billing data are available through the NISC SmartHub portal as charts, limited CSV, and PDF. A reverse-engineered community SmartHub API exists but is unofficial and may violate terms of service.
Can my energy consultant or aggregator access my URECC data?▾
There is no formal third-party data program. Access is through customer-authorized SmartHub exports or by filing written authorization with URECC Member Services (903-843-2536 or memberservice@urecc.coop) under Texas customer-privacy rules (16 TAC 25.44 and 25.472). Nectar provides API access to this utility's billing data with member authorization — see docs.nectarclimate.com.
What is the PCRF rider and how does it affect my bill?▾
The Power Cost Recovery Factor (PCRF) rider adjusts every kWh charge monthly to reflect the difference between URECC's actual purchased-power cost and the base power cost embedded in rates ($0.076116/kWh). It applies on top of all schedule charges and does not count toward minimum charges, so your effective energy rate can move month to month with fuel and wholesale costs.
Can a commercial member install solar and get bill credits?▾
Yes. Under Rider G, members can interconnect distributed generation or storage up to 100 kW. Class I facilities (<=50 kW) receive energy credits at the applicable schedule's retail energy rate; Class II facilities (>50-100 kW) receive credits at the power supplier's avoided cost plus a $5.00/month DG charge. Credits apply only against energy charges and cannot create a net cash credit for over-generation.
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