Electricity Intensive Load

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Electricity Intensive Load (EIL) customers who are requiring new construction, who are moving into an existing premise, or existing customers who are adding EIL load at their current location, are required to complete the following actions:

  1. Familiarize yourself with the Electricity Intensive Load Policy (see below for entire policy)
  2. Choose your method of billing - standard or prepayment
  3. Review the Line Extension and Facilities Construction Policy 
  4. Complete a Electricity Intensive Load Application for Electric Service
  5. Contact Benton PUD Engineering at (509) 582-1230 with notification that your desired load meets the definition of EIL
  6. Review the Electrical and Fiber-Optic Services For Prospective Industrial Growth

You will be contacted by Benton PUD Customer Service for the following:

If applicable, a Hold Harmless and Payment Agreement will be mailed to you for signature.

EIL customers who fail to complete the above actions may be disconnected without further notice and may be responsible for damages to Benton PUD’s distribution facilities if overload occurs.   


Electricity Intensive Load Policy

Electricity Intensive Load (EIL) is defined as customers whose electrical load has one or both of the following attributes: 

  1. Customer loads where electricity is the predominant input to the business production.
  2. Any load where the load factor or total energy consumption is estimated to be or is appreciably higher than:
    • Previous consumption at the service location,
    • Other customers operating in a similarly-sized and type of facility.

Examples include but are not limited to:  server farms, an aggregation of microprocessor-based computing equipment within a home, garage or business, or special purpose data centers.

New EIL customers applying for service, and existing customers who add load within the definition of EIL, are obligated to notify the District.  A customer who fails to report their EIL status may be responsible for damages to the District’s distribution facilities if overload occurs.  The District will proactively monitor changes in loads to identify potential unreported EIL customers.
 
Due to their relatively high energy use, EIL customers present a potential risk to the District from a financial and distribution system operations standpoint.  This policy attempts to mitigate those risks and establish parameters for EIL customers that balance stewardship and fiscal responsibility for all of the District’s customers while offering cost-effective and reliable electricity to EIL customers.
 
The Large Customer Credit Policy is not applicable to EIL customers.
 
Billing and Deposit Options:
EIL customers will provide security deposits and be billed for usage according to either the Standard or One Month Prepay options.  Customers on a Residential or Small General Service Rate Schedule will only be eligilble for the Standard Option.  The methodology used for deposits will be the appropriate rate schedule using maximum potential load based on the cumulative nameplate rating of the customers installed equipment and an assumed minimum load factor of 80%, if 12 months of billing history does not exist.  The District may work with the customer to align the deposit amount with the customer’s equipment installation and load development plans, or operating history. 

If an EIL customer temporarily ceases to operate but intends to keep their account open and established payment option(s) available, the District reserves the right to hold the deposit until final close of the account.

Standard Billing Option
Billing:

  • Customer will be billed on a monthly basis with bills due in 20 days.

Deposit:

  • A standard deposit will be required and will consist of two month’s billing based on the method described above.
  • After a deposit has initially been established, the District may re-evaluate actual usage and increase or decrease the amount of the deposit so that it equals two times the monthly billing at that location.
  • One half of a standard deposit must be paid before service will be provided.  The second half will be billed on the first day service is provided and must be paid within 20 days. 
  • Deposits will be retained for the life of the account.  

One Month Prepay Billing Option
 Note:  This option may require the customer to respond to accelerated timelines, including but not limited to, disconnection of service for not complying with the payment terms.  This option will also require the customer to enter into a Payment Terms/Hold Harmless agreement with the District.

Prepay/Billing:

  • One month’s estimated billing, using the same methodology, will be estimated to initiate the first payment, using the appropriate rate schedule and assuming a minimum 80% load factor, based on the maximum potential load at the location given the distribution system infrastructure, transformer size, and customer panel size.
    • If an acceptable load development plan has been provided to the District, the prepay amount may be calculated based on the loads provided in the plan.
  • Subsequent prepay amounts will be based on the previous month’s actual usage, or customer load development plan, if provided.
  • The prepayment for the subsequent month must be paid by the 25th of each month.
  • Actual usage for the previous month will be calculated on the first of each subsequent month.
  • The difference between the prepayment and actual usage, if a debit balance, must be paid by the 25th of the month.
    • A credit balance will be applied to the next month’s prepayment.

Deposit:

  • 25% of one months deposit will be required and will be based on the methodology described above.
  • The deposit must be paid in full prior to service being provided.
  • After deposit has initially been established the District may reevaluate actual usage and adjust the amount of the deposit so that it equals the monthly billing at that location.
  • Deposits will be retained for the life of the account.

The District, at its discretion, may enter into a power sales contract with an EIL customer when demand exceeds 10,000 kW, in which case the customer is exempted from this EIL policy, and the terms of the contract will apply.


Obligation to Complete Electricity Intensive Load Application for Service:
EIL customers who are requiring new construction, who are moving into an existing premise, or existing customers who are adding EIL load at their current location, are required to notify the District that their load meets the definition of EIL and must complete a Commerical/Industrial Applicaiton for Service.  Engineering staff will evaluate the projected customer load and design any necessary line extension or distribution system improvements to meet the service request.  EIL customers are required to pay some or all of the costs in aid to construction of these new or upgraded facilities and the District reserves the right to set maximum EIL customer penetration levels for specific distribution facilities. 

See the District’s Line Extension and Facilities Construction Policy for additional information.
 
If the District identifies an EIL load that has not been applied for, the customer will be asked to immediately cease EIL operation.  At such time, an application must be submitted to the District to assess distribution system requirements.  All applicable fees and deposits must be paid before EIL operations can resume.  Failure to cease operations will result in immediate disconnection of service.
 
If the customer fails to notify the District that they meet the definition of EIL, and equipment failure occurs as a result of their load, the customer will be required to pay time and material charges for repair of District equipment that is damaged as a result.  Failure to pay these charges may result in disconnection of service.
 
Assignment of Rate Schedule
EIL customers will be assigned the appropriate Residential or Commerical Rate Schedule based on their initial load and service location.  EIL customers located where a Residential Rate Schedule would normally be applied will be assigned the Residential rate.  EIL customers on a Commerical Rate Schedule will transition to other applicable rate schedules as they meet the applicable thresholds.  It is the customer’s responsibility to notify the District when these thresholds have been met, or if other changes have occurred (installation of equipment, or other changes in load) that may make them eligible for a different rate schedule.  EIL customers with loads greater than 10,000 kW demand will be subject to the District's New Large Load Rate Schedule 80.  Final determination of the appropriate rate schedule is at the District's discretion. 
 
See Commercial Rates for detailed rate schedule information.