Looking at a daycare center in Portland, Oregon (PGE territory). Monthly usage is only 4,200 kWh but demand charges are running $340/month. That seems way high for a daycare facility. Peak demand showing 31 kW which seems reasonable for HVAC and lighting. Anyone familiar with PGE's small commercial rates?
Daycare center demand charges seem excessive
Faye, that does seem high. Check what time of day their peak demand is occurring. Daycares typically peak in late afternoon when HVAC is working hardest and all the lights are on. If it's hitting during PGE's on-peak hours, the demand charges get expensive fast.
Also verify they're on the right rate schedule. Some small commercial accounts get defaulted to time-of-use rates that have higher demand charges. A daycare might be better on a standard commercial rate if their usage is fairly consistent throughout the day.