Wood County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WCEC) Rate Selection Guide
Wood County Electric Cooperative (WCEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative serving roughly 41,500 customers and 42,000+ meters across nine Northeast Texas counties from Quitman. WCEC has deployed AMI digital meters but offers no Green Button, API, or formal EDI programs — billing data lives in the online customer portal, and third-party access runs through customer-authorized manual requests.
Market Overview
WCEC operates within ERCOT's footprint but as a member-owned distribution cooperative. Some areas of its territory are dual-certified with competitive providers; most members receive bundled service governed by the cooperative's board rather than PUCT rate cases.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Wood County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WCEC) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
WCEC publishes its Rate Schedules/Riders in its Member Policies (wcec.org). Commercial service splits at 50 kW: Schedule GS (three-phase up to 50 kW) carries tiered energy charges and a demand charge only above 10 kW, while Schedule LP (consistently over 50 kW) is fully demand-billed with a 60% eleven-month demand ratchet and power factor adjustment. A Large Power High Load Factor schedule rewards flat 24/7 loads, and loads above 2,000 kVA can negotiate special contracts. Base energy charges are low (3.9-6.7¢/kWh) because WCEC layers a Power Cost Recovery Factor on top — all-in commercial costs average roughly 9.5¢/kWh — so always check the current PCRF.
Effective: January 1, 2024 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule GS — General Service (up to 50 kW) | commercial | Three-phase commercial service with demand up to 50 kW | Base charge $35.00/month; energy charge $0.0671/kWh on the first 1,500 kWh and $0.0592/kWh thereafter; demand charge $0 on the first 10 kW and $5.50/kW above 10 kW; Power Cost Recovery Factor applies on top of base rates | $0.059-0.067/kWh base energy plus PCRF (~9.5¢/kWh all-in typical)+ $5.50/kW above 10 kW |
| Schedule LP — Large Power Service (>50 kW) | commercial | Single or three-phase service consistently over 50 kW demand | Base charge $140.00/month; demand charge $7.00 per billing kW; energy charge $0.03858/kWh plus PCRF. Billing demand is the highest 15-minute interval, power-factor adjusted, and never less than 60% of the highest demand in the preceding 11 months (ratchet). Minimum monthly charge is the greater of $1.15/kVA of installed transformer capacity or base plus billing demand charges | $0.03858/kWh base energy plus PCRF+ $7.00/kW with 60% eleven-month ratchet |
| Large Power High Load Factor Service | industrial | Large loads with consistently high load factor (24/7-type operations) | Base charge $150.00/month; demand charge $6.00 per billing kW; energy charge $0.02975/kWh plus PCRF — about 0.9¢/kWh and $1/kW below standard LP in exchange for high-load-factor operation | $0.02975/kWh base energy plus PCRF+ $6.00/kW |
| Single-Phase Commercial (<50 kW) | commercial | Single-phase non-residential service under 50 kW | Base charge $17.00/month (also the minimum bill) plus energy charge $0.06667/kWh; PCRF applies | $0.06667/kWh base energy plus PCRF |
| Special Contract Service (>2,000 kVA) | industrial | Members with connected load above 2,000 kVA or a viable alternative power source | Negotiated rates and custom terms under WCEC's Member Policies — the cooperative may execute special agreements with rates developed for the member's specific power requirements | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial site in Northeast Texas (<50 kW)
Shops, offices, and farm operations across WCEC's nine-county territory on GS or single-phase commercial service.
On GS, the first 10 kW of demand is free and energy steps down after 1,500 kWh, so cost control is mostly about kWh and avoiding demand spikes above 10 kW. Consistently exceeding 50 kW moves the account to LP with a $140 base charge and demand ratchet.
- Keep demand peaks at or below 10 kW where feasible — each kW above costs $5.50/month
- Track the Power Cost Recovery Factor line, which can rival the base energy charge
- If load grows toward 50 kW, model Schedule LP before WCEC reclassifies the account
Demand-billed facility on Schedule LP
Poultry operations, manufacturers, groceries, and oilfield loads consistently over 50 kW.
The $7/kW demand charge carries a 60% eleven-month ratchet and a power factor adjustment — one bad 15-minute peak echoes for nearly a year, and poor power factor inflates billing kW directly. Energy is cheap ($0.03858 base), so demand discipline is the whole game.
- Stagger motor and compressor starts to control the single highest 15-minute interval
- Correct power factor — billing demand is PF-adjusted, so capacitors reduce billed kW
- After a permanent load reduction, watch the ratchet roll off and verify billing demand resets
High-load-factor 24/7 operation
Continuous-process loads — gas compression, water utilities, cold storage — that run flat around the clock.
The HLF schedule trades a slightly higher base charge for $6.00/kW demand and $0.02975/kWh energy — roughly 23% cheaper energy than standard LP. For genuinely flat loads, switching schedules is free money; for loads above 2,000 kVA, a negotiated special contract may do even better.
- Calculate your load factor from interval data; sustained >70% usually justifies HLF
- Ask WCEC about special contract terms if connected load exceeds 2,000 kVA
- Verify minimum charge implications ($1.15/kVA transformer minimum) before switching
Cost Optimization Strategies
WCEC's rate design rewards three things: keeping demand peaks down against the $7/kW LP charge and its 60% ratchet, maintaining good power factor (billing demand is PF-adjusted), and matching schedule to load shape — the High Load Factor schedule and special contracts offer materially cheaper service for the right profiles. The Power Cost Recovery Factor pass-through is the main variable to track month to month.
15-minute demand peak control
For: Schedule LP and HLF customers
LP billing demand is the highest 15-minute interval with a ratchet at 60% of the trailing 11-month peak. Avoiding one excursion saves $7/kW in-month plus up to 60% of that in each of the next eleven months — demand controllers and staged equipment starts pay for themselves quickly.
Power factor correction
For: Motor-heavy LP accounts
WCEC adjusts billing demand for power factor, so inductive loads (motors, pumps, welders) with poor PF pay for phantom kW. Capacitor banks holding PF near unity reduce billed demand directly.
Schedule optimization (LP vs. HLF vs. special contract)
For: Large commercial and industrial members
High-load-factor loads save ~$0.009/kWh and $1/kW on the HLF schedule; loads above 2,000 kVA can negotiate custom contracts. Run all eligible schedules against 12 months of SmartHub interval data annually.
PCRF tracking and bill validation
For: All members
Base energy charges are low because wholesale power costs flow through the Power Cost Recovery Factor. Logging the monthly PCRF explains bill swings, supports budget forecasting, and catches misapplied factors.
Interval-data efficiency and capital credits
For: All commercial members
WCEC's AMI data in SmartHub exposes overnight base load waste worth 10-20% of commercial kWh in typical buildings. As a non-profit co-op, WCEC also returns margins as capital credits — keep member records current to receive retirements.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Wood County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WCEC) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can C&I customers get interval data from WCEC?▾
Yes, but only by direct request today. WCEC's AMI digital meters cover ~95%+ of its territory (likely 15- or 30-minute intervals), but the portal's customer-facing usage download is still a planned feature. Call (903) 763-2203 or email info@wcec.org with the account and date range; expect PDF or CSV via email in 3-5 business days.
How does a consultant get authorized access to a WCEC member's data?▾
Obtain a signed customer authorization letter, then email info@wcec.org with the subject 'Third-Party Data Access Request' (or mail Member Services, P.O. Box 1827, Quitman, TX 75783). Include the account number, data types, date range, and your firm's details. WCEC evaluates case-by-case with a 5-10 business day turnaround — there is no automated authorization portal.
Does WCEC support Green Button, EDI, or an API?▾
No. WCEC is not Green Button certified (no DMD or CMD), publishes no EDI trading partner program or specifications, and operates no public API or developer portal. Nectar provides API access to WCEC billing data with member authorization — see docs.nectarclimate.com. EDI capabilities, if any, require direct inquiry.
Is WCEC in Texas's competitive retail market?▾
Partially by geography but not in practice for most members. WCEC is a distribution cooperative — not a competitive Retail Electric Provider — serving a 9-county territory where some areas are single-certified (WCEC exclusive) and others dual-certified. Members generally take bundled cooperative service governed by the board.
What's the fastest way to assemble billing history for a WCEC facility?▾
Have the account holder log into https://billing.wcec.org/oscp/, download historical bills as PDFs from Billing & Payments, and share them directly. This avoids the 5-10 business day manual authorization path and works well for one-time analyses like rate reviews or solar feasibility studies.
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