Defined term
Electricity demand charge
An electricity demand charge is the portion of an electric-service bill based on the customer's measured or calculated maximum capacity usage under the applicable rate schedule.
Also known as billing demand charge
grid · Concept code GS-CONCEPT-062 · Last verified September 29, 2026
Evidence as-of date unavailable · 2 sources have no source-event date
Content modified 2026-09-29
Definition and boundaries
Definition
An electricity demand charge is the portion of an electric-service bill based on the customer's measured or calculated maximum capacity usage under the applicable rate schedule.
Review confirmed · Review due October 29, 2026
The previous review deadline was September 19, 2026. The missed interval remains unverified; the current review does not establish historical coverage.
The cited evidence supports this statement within the source’s stated scope. Its jurisdiction and source-event date limit its applicability to a particular project.
Applicable jurisdiction: US; rate schedules vary
Definition claim verification: Verified September 29, 2026
In plain language
For Electricity demand charge, the controlling utility tariff, interconnection document, meter arrangement, and jurisdiction matter more than a generic national description.
What it is not
It is not a charge based only on total monthly kilowatt-hour consumption.
Decision context
Why it matters
The demand interval, ratchet, season, time period, measurement, minimum, units, and customer class must be read from the tariff before solar or storage savings are modeled.
Review confirmed · Review due October 29, 2026
The previous review deadline was September 19, 2026. The missed interval remains unverified; the current review does not establish historical coverage.
The cited evidence supports this statement within the source’s stated scope. Its jurisdiction and source-event date limit its applicability to a particular project.
Applicable jurisdiction: US; rate schedules vary
Decision-context claim verification: Verified September 29, 2026
Information boundary
This page provides general educational context, not a site design, production guarantee, utility determination, contract interpretation, legal opinion, tax conclusion, or individualized financial advice. Verify property, equipment, utility, jurisdiction, program, and agreement details before acting.
Selector-derived public graph
Learning navigation
Primary topic: Finance
Broader topic
- Electricity pricingPublished conceptElectricity demand charge is a more specific concept under Electricity pricing
More specific topics
No public concepts recorded.
Related topics
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Learn first
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Builds toward
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Primary sources
- U.S. Department of Energy: Evaluating Your Utility Rate Options
Source event date not provided · Ontology accessed September 29, 2026 · Ontology verified September 29, 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: Demand charge glossary definition
Source event date not provided · Ontology accessed September 29, 2026 · Ontology verified September 29, 2026