Editor's note: The following letter was mailed to active Prepay Power members on Feb. 29, 2024.
Re: New rates take effect with March 2024 usage, April 2024 billing
Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WEC) is implementing a three-part rate structure designed to encompass the various components that contribute to the overall cost of providing electricity.
Residential members will see these new charges effective March 1, 2024.
Current Rate New Rate
Service Availability Charge: $28.50 (Urban) / $33.50 (Rural) $30.00 (Urban) / $35.00 (Rural)
Demand per Billing KW $0.00 $2.00
Energy Charge (kWh) $0.096485 $0.105950
Residential Cooling & Heating members will see these new charges effective March 1, 2024.
Current Rate New Rate
Service Availability Charge: $28.50 $30.00
Demand per Billing KW $0.00 $2.00
Energy Charge (kWh) $0.056372 (Oct.-May) $0.064750 (Oct.-May)
$0.120541 (June-Sept.) $0.119750 (June-Sept.)
To minimize the impact to our Prepay Members the new rates effective with the March 1, 2024, usage will be added after the February billing occurs on March 15. The morning of March 16, 2024, you could see a significant increase in your Prepay daily bill amount.
From March 1 to March 15, your daily Prepay bill will include the prorated Service Availability Charge, daily energy/kWh usage charge, and applicable taxes/fees, remaining consistent with your current daily billing.
Starting March 16, the Service Availability Charge, Energy Charge, and Demand Charge will be adjusted to the new rate. The daily bill calculation will use the new rate, revising the billed amount from March 1 to reflect the rate change. Additionally, it will consider your historical monthly demand usage to estimate demand from past readings.
On March 16, there might be a slight increase in amounts to ‘catch up’ from March 1 to March 16. If the demand amount rises later in the month, the daily demand charge will adjust accordingly within the March 1 to March 31 usage cycle. If the estimated demand exceeds the actual demand, a credit will be issued.
What is Demand?
Demand is determined by the highest level of power in kilowatts (kW) that a co-op member draws from the grid during any 15-minute interval in each billing cycle. Demand is different from overall energy consumption, which measures how much electricity a member uses during the entirety of the billing cycle and is measured in kWh.
Visit our website to learn more about demand, how it’s measured, and how you can save money on your bill by making energy-smart choices.
The average residential household (using just under 800 kWh in a billing cycle) typically generates an average demand of 7kW during a monthly billing cycle. Under the new rate structure, this residential household would see $14 ($2 x 7kW) as their demand charge.
WEC has been recording demand since July 2022. If you would like to know your average demand, please contact your local Wheatland Electric office, and speak to one of our Consumer Service Representatives.
We understand that changes in rates can have financial implications for our members. In an effort to assist those facing hardship, we encourage you to reach out to your local Wheatland Electric office to discuss potential payment arrangements, or energy-saving tips.