rates have been contributed for 3,833 EIA-recognized utility companies.
Download all approved U.S. rates in csv/gzip format or json/gzip format (documentation)
Download all approved International rates in csv/gzip format or json/gzip format (documentation)
Rates for Belize were added in 2015 as a beta version of international rates and are available via the International Rates link.
The URDB allows you to search for your utility and rates to find out exactly how you are charged for your electric energy usage. Understanding this information can help reduce your bill, for example, by running your appliances during off-peak hours (times during the day when electricity prices are less expensive) and help you make more informed decisions regarding your energy usage.
Rates are also extremely important to the energy analysis community for accurately determining the value and economics of distributed generation such as solar and wind power. The URDB allows anyone to access these rates via bulk download, web interface, or computer-readable Application Programming Interface (API) for use in their tools and models. OpenEI provides an API for software to automatically download the appropriate rates, thereby allowing detailed economic analysis to be done without ever having to directly handle complex rate structures.
NREL’s System Advisor Model or SAM (formerly Solar Advisor Model) has the ability to communicate with the URDB over the internet. SAM can download any rate from the URDB directly into the program, thereby enabling users to conduct detailed studies on various power systems ranging in size from a small residential rooftop solar system to large utility scale installations.
Work is underway at NREL to develop more efficient and timely ways to gather the data that makes up the URDB. NREL has formed a working group with utilities and industry to explore options for adopting a standard machine-readable format that utilities could use to publish their rates, and that the URDB could use to harvest data in a more timely, less labor-intensive manner. If you’d like more information about this activity, contact solar.tools@nrel.gov.
Utility Rate Database Visualization
Utility rate coverage on OpenEI
Utility rates per
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Using the System Advisor Model with the URDB enables users to perform economic analyses of energy systems. The Impacts of Utility Rates and Building Type on the Economics of Commercial Photovoltaic Systems evaluates solar value for different rate structures across the United States.
Click on a state to view summaries of energy information for that state.
Map of average US residential electricity price by utility service territory (EIA 2013 data).
Of the utilities that comprise 70% of the total US electricity load, we update rates annually. A complete list of these utilities can be found at URDB Rates Data.
Looking for a list of all U.S. utilities by zip code? Find the latest data as a csv. Note: This file includes average rates for each utility, but not the detailed rate structure data found in the database above.
NREL's System Advisor Model now integrates with OpenEI's utility rates, which aids analysis of simple net metered rates as well as complex rate structures that include time-of-use rates, demand charges, tiered rates, fixed monthly fees, adjustment riders, and separate buy and sell rates.
