The schedule of rates to be paid by the customer for electric energy and service furnished by the combined utilities system of the city is hereby established as follows.
(A) Uniform provisions. The following provisions shall be effective for all rates included in this section.
(1) Rates. All charges imposed through this section shall be effective with billings rendered after November 20, 2023.
(2) Charges. All bills shall be based upon the appropriate customer charge per month, plus the applicable charges for power and energy consumed.
(3) Production cost adjustment. All rates are subject to the production cost adjustment clause as set forth in division (A)(2).
(4) Term of payment. All bills are due and payable on the tenth day of each month. A penalty of $10 plus 5% of the bill will be charged on all delinquent bills.
(B) Rates.
(1) Residential.
Residential Service | Base Rate |
Residential Service | Base Rate |
Summer | |
Customer charge/month | $15.75 |
First 700kW/month/kWh | $0.1161 |
Balance (per kWh) | $0.10524 |
Winter | |
Customer charge/month | $15.75 |
First 700 kWh/month/kWh balance (per kWh) | $0.10524 |
Balance (per kWh) | $0.08137 |
(a) Availability. All domestic single-family non-commercial usage customers with mixed domestic and nondomestic or multiple-dwelling usages at the same meter location whose usage exceeds 5,000 kWh per month for three consecutive months shall be transferred to the applicable business rate. Three-phase service is not available for residential service under this rate.
(b) Minimum bill. The minimum bill of the customer shall be the customer charge.
(2) Commercial.
Commercial Service | Base Rate |
Commercial Service | Base Rate |
Summer | |
Customer charge/month | $26 |
First 1,000 kW/month/kWh | $0.11751 |
Balance (per kWh) | $0.10666 |
Winter | |
Customer charge/month | $26 |
First 1,000 kWh/month/kWh | $0.11751 |
Balance (per kWh) | $0.08170 |
(a) Availability. For non-residential meters with less than 25 kilowatts of demand or less than 10,000 kilowatt-hours of usage for three consecutive months. A customer may request to be billed under the general service demand rate however they will remain on the GS-D rate for at least 12 months before they can be transferred back to the GS rate if applicable. Three-phase service is not available at this rate. A customer may take three-phase service under the general service demand rate or the large power primary rate.
(b) Minimum bill. The minimum bill of the customer shall be the customer charge.
(3) Commercial service - demand.
Commercial Service - Demand | Base Rate |
Commercial Service - Demand | Base Rate |
Summer | |
Customer charge/month | $63.50 |
Demand charge ($/kW) | $18.00 |
Energy charge ($/kWh) | $0.06705 |
Winter | |
Customer charge/month | $63.50 |
Demand charge ($/kW) | $13.90 |
Energy charge ($/kWh) | $0.06163 |
(a) Availability. All urban or rural business usage with peak demands of greater than 25 kilowatts or 10,000 kilowatt-hours of usage for three consecutive months. However, at the discretion of the city, any customer whose demand falls between 25-100 kW may be charged at the commercial service rate, contingent upon application by customer and agreement by city that an instance of economic hardship (as defined by the city) would occur under the commercial service-demand rate.
(b) Minimum bill. The minimum bill of the customer shall be the customer charge.
(c) Municipal wholesale rate: summer. Energy charge ($/kWh): $0.12337
(d) Municipal wholesale rate: winter. Energy charge ($/kWh): $0.10818
(4) Large power primary (LPP).
Large Power Primary | Base Rate |
Large Power Primary | Base Rate |
Summer | |
Customer charge/month | $341.75 |
Demand charge ($/kW) | $22.80 |
Energy charge ($/kWh) | $0.07508 |
Winter | |
Customer charge/month | $341.75 |
Demand charge ($/kW) | $15.20 |
Energy charge ($/kWh) | $0.07440 |
(a) Availability. All urban or rural non-residential accounts taking service at three-phase and primary voltage of 600 volts and greater (typically 4,160 v) with installed metered capability to provide power to peak demands greater than 400 kilowatts or energy usage of greater than 100,000 kilowatt-hours per month.
(b) Minimum bill.
1. The minimum bill shall be the customer charge+the energy charge+the demand charge+the power factor+the PCA charges.
2. Where the demand charge shall be determined by the higher of: The highest metered peak in kW for the billing period times the demand charge or 65% of the highest metered peak demand in the preceding summer months of June, July, August, and September times the demand charge.
(C) Production cost adjustment (PCA) clause. All rates are subject to a production cost adjustment (PCA) as may be set from time to time by the City Council. The power cost adjustment (PCA) clause may be invoked, for periods of no longer than 12 months in cases when significant revenue changes are necessary because of substantial increases/decreases in the cost of power and/or other emergencies that are estimated to be greater than a 10% deviation in FY power costs budgeted. In some cases, the city's wholesale provider of electric power may bill an adjustment clause for a period of time and these costs may be passed on with losses using the PCA clause.
(D) Power factor correction. All rates with a demand charge included herein are subject to adjustment for power factors of less than 95% lagging. If the power factor, by meter or test, is found to be less than 95%, at or near peak monthly demand, the billing demand shall be increased by the ratio of 95 divided by the measured power factor. In order to allow the customer appropriate time to correct a low power factor, the penalty correction shall be advisory for the first three bills rendered after the date of the letter from the city to the customer that the power factor determination has been made and the customer is responsible for making corrections to avoid being charged the power factor penalty.
(E) Service quality. Customers operating equipment having highly fluctuating or large instantaneous demands, or which require electric service quality exceeding customary industry standards, shall be required to provide adequate corrective and/or protective equipment, isolating transformers, or other equipment as necessary so as to not unduly interfere with or be affected by customary service to other customers. Such special service conditions shall be subject to such additional monthly charges as the utility deems necessary and appropriate.
(F) Discrimination prohibited. No service shall be provided under any other rate than as provided in this section, except by written contract.
(G) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
kW. Peak kilowatt demand
kWh. Kilowatt hour consumption.
SUMMER. The usage during the months of June through September. Winter shall be the balance of the year.
(H) Service policies. All rates and services included hereinabove are subject to the standard service policies of the Benkelman Utilities.
(I) Taxes. In the event of the imposition of any new tax or the increase of any existing tax, or any increase in payments in lieu thereof: by any lawful authority; the electric rates established by this section may be increased by the amount of such tax or charge.
(Prior Code, § 3-808) (Ord. 2016-805, passed 3-21-2016; Ord. 2023-843, passed 11-20-2023)