said by TamaraB :

Does anyone know what the actual rate per KW/hr Con is currently charging for electricity to both residential and business customers?

Also, Commercial accounts are hit by a "demand charge" does anyone know what this is?

quote:

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What Is Demand?
Every electricity consumer's service bill contains
both consumption and demand charges, which can be
compared to the overhead costs of doing business.
Residential customers pay one rate of charges for
electricity service, covering both consumption of
electricity and demand. This simple, combined charge
is possible because there is relatively little
variation in electricity use from home to home.
This is not the case among commercial and industrial
energy users, whose electricity use—both consumption
and demand—varies greatly. Some need large amounts
of electricity once in a while; others, almost
constantly. Complicating this is the fact that
electricity cannot be stored. It must be generated
and supplied to each customer as it is called for—
instantly, day or night, in extremely variable quantities.
Meeting these customers' needs requires keeping a
vast array of expensive equipment—transformers,
wires, substations and even generating stations—on
constant standby. The amount and size of this
equipment must be large enough to meet peak
consumption periods (i.e., when the need for
electricity is highest).

Utilities and public service commissions around
the country have determined that the most equitable
way to cover the cost of this equipment is to have
those customers who create this demand and the need
for power during these peak periods pay for its
availability. For this reason, utilities spread
the costs of this extra equipment among all
commercial and industrial customers as a separate
charge for demand.

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