Alice D. in Staunton VA working on Georgia Power account. Large church facility in Atlanta is currently on Schedule PL-1 but I'm seeing references to religious institution rates in their tariff book. The church operates a school Monday-Friday and has significant community center usage. Peak demand runs 180-220 kW depending on season. Current rate seems high compared to similar facilities. Anyone familiar with Georgia Power's religious or educational institution rate options?
Religious Institution Rate Schedules - Georgia Power Questions
Rob T. from Jacksonville FL. I don't work Georgia Power territory but most utilities have specific rates for religious institutions that can be significantly better than standard commercial schedules. The key qualification issues are usually around commercial vs religious use of the facilities. School operations and community center rentals might affect eligibility. Have you reviewed Georgia Power's Schedule RI or Schedule EDU in their tariff? Rob T.
Alice, Georgia Power does offer religious institution rates under Schedule RI-1 for qualifying facilities. The main requirements are that the facility must be used primarily for religious worship and related activities. Educational use by the affiliated school typically qualifies, but commercial rentals or unrelated business activities can affect eligibility. Randy D. - I'd recommend requesting a rate analysis comparing PL-1, RI-1, and potentially Schedule EDU if the school component is substantial enough.
Randy and Rob, thanks for the guidance. I found Schedule RI-1 in their tariff and it does look beneficial. The church school serves congregation members and some community students. They do rent the fellowship hall occasionally for weddings and community events. Would occasional facility rentals disqualify them from RI-1 rates? The revenue is minimal, maybe $3000 annually. Alice D.
Beth H. in Jacksonville FL here. Alice, most utilities allow incidental rental income without affecting religious rate qualification. The key is that it's not the primary purpose of the facility. $3000 annually sounds very incidental compared to their main religious and educational activities. Georgia Power's tariff should specify the percentage threshold for non-qualifying uses. Usually it's something like 10-15% of total facility usage.
Lee B. in Rochester NY. Similar situation with RG&E here - religious institutions can have multiple rate options depending on their activities. Alice, does the church school have separate metering or is everything on one service? Sometimes utilities prefer separate meters for educational vs worship activities, especially if the school operates during different hours than church services.
Lee, everything is on single meter service. The school and church share the same building complex with sanctuary, classrooms, kitchen, and fellowship hall all interconnected. School operates 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM weekdays, church services Wednesday evenings and Sundays. Beth, I'll check the tariff for the percentage threshold on non-qualifying usage. Alice D.
Beatrice S. in Salem OR. Alice, when you submit the rate classification request to Georgia Power, be prepared to provide documentation about the religious organization's tax-exempt status and details about all facility uses. Most utilities want a breakdown of how the electricity is used for different activities. The school component should actually help qualification since education is typically viewed favorably for religious institution rates.
Beatrice, good point about documentation. The church is definitely 501(c)(3) tax exempt and I can get detailed information about facility usage patterns. Schedule RI-1 shows significantly lower energy charges than their current PL-1 rate. Demand charges are comparable but energy savings would be substantial. Planning to submit the rate classification request next week. Alice D.
Kim S. in Las Vegas NV. Alice, one thing to watch out for is whether Georgia Power has any minimum usage requirements for Schedule RI-1. Some utilities set thresholds to prevent very small religious facilities from accessing institutional rates. With 180-220 kW demand, your client should easily meet any minimums, but worth checking. Also ask about retroactive application if they approve the reclassification.
Kim, good point about minimums and retroactive application. Schedule RI-1 has 50 kW minimum demand so they definitely qualify on size. I'll specifically request retroactive billing when I submit the application. Based on preliminary calculations, the savings would be around $2400 annually so worth pursuing even if they don't allow retroactive adjustment. Thanks everyone for the helpful guidance! Alice D.