Volunteer Energy Cooperative Rate Selection Guide
Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) is a non-profit electric cooperative and TVA distributor serving about 128,500 members across 17 southeastern Tennessee counties. It runs the NISC SmartHub platform for billing and usage data, supports Green Button downloads, and offers commercial service under TVA's General Power (GSA) rate schedule.
Volunteer Energy Cooperative Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSA Part 1 | Small commercial | $25/mo + ~10.21-10.50 cents/kWh (+ TVA Fuel Cost) | Small businesses under 50 kW and 15,000 kWh/month |
| GSA Part 2 | Medium commercial | $75/mo + $16.53-17.30/kW over 50 kW + tiered energy | Mid-size facilities 50-1,000 kW with demand metering |
| GSA Part 3 | Large power / industrial | $300/mo + $17.17-18.20/kW tiered + ~4.97-5.00 cents/kWh | Large industrial loads over 1,000 kW |
Market Overview
Tennessee does not have retail electric competition. VEC is a not-for-profit distribution cooperative that buys wholesale power solely from TVA and resells under TVA-approved schedules. C&I customers cannot shop for a competitive supplier; rates follow TVA's wholesale framework plus VEC's local board-set components.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Volunteer Energy Cooperative Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Commercial and industrial service is billed under TVA's General Power rate, Schedule GSA (effective April 2026), administered by VEC. GSA has three demand-based parts. Part 1 (<=50 kW, <=15,000 kWh): $25/mo customer charge and an energy charge of ~10.497 cents/kWh (summer) to ~10.207 cents/kWh (transition). Part 2 (>50-1,000 kW): $75/mo customer charge, a demand charge of $17.30/kW (summer) / $16.53/kW (winter & transition) on demand over 50 kW, and tiered energy charges (first 15,000 kWh at the Part 1 rate, additional kWh at ~4.959-4.995 cents). Part 3 (>1,000 kW): $300/mo customer charge, tiered demand charges from $17.97/kW (summer) / $17.17/kW (winter), and energy at ~4.967-5.002 cents/kWh. All energy charges exclude TVA's monthly Fuel Cost adjustment, which is added separately. Manufacturing credits apply to SIC 20-39 customers over 1,000 kW.
Effective: April 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Power GSA - Part 1 (Small Commercial) | commercial | C&I customers with demand 50 kW or less and monthly energy 15,000 kWh or less. | Customer charge $25.00/delivery point/month. Energy charge ~10.497 cents/kWh (summer), 10.309 cents/kWh (winter), 10.207 cents/kWh (transition). Excludes TVA monthly Fuel Cost. | — |
| General Power GSA - Part 2 (Medium Commercial) | commercial | C&I customers with demand greater than 50 kW up to 1,000 kW (or under 50 kW exceeding 15,000 kWh/month). | Customer charge $75.00/mo. Demand charge: first 50 kW no charge, excess at $17.30/kW (summer) or $16.53/kW (winter & transition). Energy: first 15,000 kWh at the Part 1 rate, additional kWh at ~4.959-4.995 cents/kWh. Excludes TVA Fuel Cost. | — |
| General Power GSA - Part 3 (Large Power / Industrial) | industrial | C&I customers with demand greater than 1,000 kW (contract demand up to 5,000 kW). | Customer charge $300.00/mo. Demand charge tiered: first 1,000 kW at $17.97/kW (summer)/$17.17/kW (winter), next 1,500 kW at $18.20/$17.41, excess over 2,500 kW at $18.07/$17.28. Energy ~5.002 cents/kWh (summer), 4.967 cents (winter/transition). Excludes TVA Fuel Cost. | — |
| Manufacturing Credit (GSA) | industrial | Manufacturers with SIC codes 20-39 and monthly billing demand over 1,000 kW. | Demand credit: first 1,000 kW at $1.38/kW, excess at $1.63/kW. Energy credit 1.076 cents/kWh. Applied only in months where metered demand exceeds 1,000 kW. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial facility (50-1,000 kW)
Facilities on GSA Part 2 are exposed to a per-kW demand charge over 50 kW plus tiered energy and the TVA Fuel Cost.
The demand charge ($16.53-17.30/kW above 50 kW) and Fuel Cost dominate the bill, so demand management yields the biggest savings.
- Pull 15-minute interval data via Green Button to find peak events
- Shift or stagger large loads to keep demand near the 50 kW threshold
- Correct power factor to avoid kVA billing
Large industrial / manufacturing (>1,000 kW)
Part 3 accounts pay a $300 customer charge with tiered demand charges; SIC 20-39 manufacturers qualify for credits.
Demand charges escalate across 1,000/2,500 kW tiers and the manufacturing credit materially reduces net cost for eligible loads.
- Confirm SIC 20-39 manufacturing credits are applied
- Manage contract demand to avoid excess-over-contract demand penalties
- Maintain power factor >= 0.98
Energy/sustainability team needing data
C&I teams that need interval data for analytics, ESG, or M&V should standardize on Green Button.
Green Button ESPI XML is the most portable and supported export; the SmartHub API can automate 15-minute pulls.
- Export Green Button monthly for trending
- Use the SmartHub API for automated 15-minute data
- Verify the TVA Fuel Cost component each month
Historical Rate Trends
VEC retail rates move with TVA's wholesale rate schedule and the monthly Fuel Cost adjustment. VEC has implemented base-rate adjustments in recent years and publishes a rate-increase update page.
April 1, 2026
General Power Schedule GSA updated effective April 2026.
N/AOverall trend: Generally rising, driven by TVA wholesale rate changes and fuel costs.
Next expected change: Reviewed periodically by VEC's board in line with TVA wholesale rate actions; the monthly TVA Fuel Cost changes each month.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because demand charges and the TVA Fuel Cost drive most C&I cost, savings come from demand management, power-factor correction, and staying in the most favorable GSA tier.
Peak demand management
For: GSA Part 2 and Part 3 accounts
Stagger equipment startups and shave the highest 30-minute demand interval, since billing demand is set by the single highest 30-minute average each month.
Power factor correction
For: Accounts with motor/inductive loads
Maintain power factor at or above 0.98 to avoid kVA billing, which inflates billed demand when PF drops below the threshold.
Capture manufacturing credits
For: Industrial manufacturers >1,000 kW
Eligible SIC 20-39 manufacturers over 1,000 kW should ensure manufacturing demand and energy credits are applied each qualifying month.
Interval-data analytics
For: All C&I accounts
Use Green Button or SmartHub API 15-minute data to identify peak-setting events and verify TVA Fuel Cost pass-through.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Volunteer Energy Cooperative interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a C&I customer get interval (15-minute) data from VEC?▾
VEC's AMI meters capture 15-minute interval data. The most reliable self-service route is the Green Button Download My Data export in SmartHub (ESPI XML). For automated 15-minute pulls, technical teams use the undocumented SmartHub usage-polling endpoint (see the open-source electric-usage-downloader). For ongoing programmatic access, contact VEC IT about Green Button Connect My Data.
Does VEC support EDI for billing or meter data?▾
No. As a TVA distribution cooperative with no retail choice, VEC does not operate an ANSI X12 EDI trading-partner program. Structured data exchange is handled through Green Button (ESPI XML), the SmartHub API, or written data requests.
Which rate applies to commercial and industrial accounts?▾
VEC bills C&I accounts under TVA's General Power rate, Schedule GSA. The schedule has three tiers based on demand: Part 1 (50 kW or less and under 15,000 kWh/month), Part 2 (50-1,000 kW), and Part 3 (over 1,000 kW), each with its own customer charge, demand charge, and energy charge. All energy charges are then adjusted by TVA's monthly Fuel Cost.
Can an energy consultant access a member's data on their behalf?▾
VEC's SmartHub does not expose a formal authorized-user feature. Practical options are: the member shares a Green Button export, the member authorizes a Green Button Connect My Data app (if enabled), or you submit a written data request with a signed authorization letter to VEC Customer Service.
How far back does usage and billing history go?▾
Billing history in SmartHub is typically 12-24 months; Green Button usage exports typically cover about 12-14 months. Older data requires a written request to VEC.
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