Rate Schedules and Tariffs

Utilities publish more than one tariff for the same service territory, and being on the wrong one is among the most common avoidable overcharges in commercial billing. A general service schedule, a time-of-use schedule and a real-time pricing option will each price the same load differently, and the switching rules — notice periods, minimum stay, eligibility thresholds by demand level — are set out in the tariff book rather than on the bill. This section explains how to read a rate schedule, how to model your own interval data against alternative tariffs before committing, what standby and supplemental service cost a site with on-site generation, and how riders and surcharges attach on top of whichever schedule you land on.