Your business success depends on keeping operational costs low. Our goal is to keep electricity rates affordable. As a not-for-profit utility, the rate you pay goes only toward the carbon neutral electricity that you use, and to cover utility operations that ensure the delivery of reliable, safe, equitable, and green energy.
Current Rates
City Light provides affordable rates for carbon-neutral electricity, primarily generated from carbon-free hydroelectricity.
To understand your rates, find the applicable rate chart below based on the location and maximum demand (in kW) of your business. Maximum demand is the range into which more than half of your normal billings fall. Classification of new customers will be based on City Light's estimate of maximum demand in the current year.
Maximum demand places your business in one of four categories:
| Small | Medium | Large | High Demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| <50 kW | 50-999 kW | 1,000-9,999 kW | 10,000+ kW |
"Peak" is defined as the period Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., excluding New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
| City of Seattle ("C") | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Medium | Large | High Demand | |||
| Per kWh | $0.1181 | $0.0917 | Peak | $0.1091 | Peak | $0.1029 |
| Off-Peak | $0.0612 | Off-Peak | $0.0577 | |||
| Per kW | - | $5.05 | Peak | $4.88 | Peak | $4.88 |
| Off-Peak | $0.31 | Off-Peak | $0.31 | |||
| Base service charge per day | $0.48 | $1.87 | $23.46 | $123.59 | ||
| Minimum bill per meter per day | $0.48 | $1.87 | $32.73 | $123.59 | ||
| Transformer Investment per kW | $0.31 | |||||
| Downtown Network ("D") | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Medium | Large | ||
| Per kWh | $0.1181 | $0.1037 | Peak | $0.1164 |
| Off-Peak | $0.0652 | |||
| Per kW | - | $11.50 | Peak | $10.42 |
| Off-Peak | $0.31 | |||
| Base service charge per day | $0.48 | $1.87 | $23.46 | |
| Minimum bill per meter per day | $0.48 | $1.87 | $32.73 | |
| Transformer Investment per kW | $0.31 | |||
| Normandy Park ("N") | |
|---|---|
| Small | |
| Per kWh | $0.1233 |
| Base service charge per day | $0.53 |
| Minimum bill per meter per day | $0.53 |
| Transformer Investment per kW | $0.33 |
| Burien ("B") SeaTac ("E") Shoreline ("H") Unincorporated King County ("K") |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Medium | Large | ||
| Per kWh | $0.1252 | $0.0990 | Peak | $0.1178 |
| Off-Peak | $0.0661 | |||
| Per kW | - | $5.45 | Peak | $5.27 |
| Off-Peak | $0.33 | |||
| Base service charge per day | $0.54 | $2.02 | $25.34 | |
| Minimum bill per meter per day | $0.54 | $2.02 | $35.35 | |
| Transformer Investment per kW | $0.33 | |||
| Lake Forest Park ("L") | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Medium | Large | ||
| Per kWh | $0.1252 | $0.0991 | Peak | $0.1179 |
| Off-Peak | $0.0661 | |||
| Per kW | - | $5.46 | Peak | $5.27 |
| Off-Peak | $0.33 | |||
| Base service charge per day | $0.54 | $2.02 | $25.35 | |
| Minimum bill per meter per day | $0.54 | $2.02 | $35.36 | |
| Transformer Investment per kW | $0.33 | |||
| Tukwila ("T") | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Medium | Large | High Demand | |||
| Per kWh | $0.1245 | $0.0987 | Peak | $0.1174 | Peak | $0.1108 |
| Off-Peak | $0.0659 | Off-Peak | $0.0622 | |||
| Per kW | - | $5.43 | Peak | $5.25 | Peak | $5.26 |
| Off-Peak | $0.33 | Off-Peak | $0.33 | |||
| Base service charge per day | $0.54 | $2.01 | $25.25 | $133.13 | ||
| Minimum bill per meter per day | $0.54 | $2.01 | $35.23 | $133.13 | ||
| Transformer Investment per kW | $0.33 | |||||
| Renton ("S") | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Medium | Large | ||
| Per kWh | $0.1159 | $0.0917 | Peak | $0.1091 |
| Off-Peak | $0.0612 | |||
| Per kW | - | $5.05 | Peak | $4.88 |
| Off-Peak | $0.31 | |||
| Base service charge per day | $0.50 | $1.87 | $23.46 | |
| Minimum bill per meter per day | $0.50 | $1.87 | $32.73 | |
| Transformer Investment per kW | $0.31 | |||
Undergrounding Rates
Burien and Shoreline elected to underground distribution lines on some of their arterial streets. Instead of the jurisdiction paying for the work upfront, the undergrounding cost is recovered from all customers in that jurisdiction via a kWh undergrounding charge according to the table below:
| Burien Undergrounding Rates | |
|---|---|
| First Ave South 1 per kWh | $0.0037 |
| First Ave South 2 per kWh | $0.0013 |
| Shoreline Undergrounding Rates | |
|---|---|
| North City per kWh | $0.0007 |
| Aurora 1 per kWh | $0.0017 |
| Aurora 2 per kWh | $0.0018 |
| Aurora 3A per kWh | $0.0005 |
| Aurora 3B per kWh | $0.0022 |
Other Charges and Credits
Business rates may also include the following charges or credits:
- Power factor charge: $0.0015/kVarh
What's the Difference Between kW and kWh?
It's the difference between demand (kW) - measuring the maximum use of electricity at a given point in time - and consumption (kWh) - measuring the flow of electricity over an hour.
How Are Rates Designed?
Rates are driven by the cost of providing electricity to our customers, including costs for production, delivery, and customer services, while also adhering to city, state and federal government regulations and requirements. Rates are generally approved by the Seattle City Council every two years. Business rates are determined by three factors: class, structure, and element.
Your rate class is based on your maximum demand (kW) per month. Your rate class and service location are noted under the "Rate Code" section of your bill. Rate code key:
| Size | ||
|---|---|---|
| Max. Monthly Demand | Class | Code |
| Fewer than 50 kW | Small General Service | SM |
| 50 - 999 kW | Medium General Service | MD |
| 1,000 - 9,999 kW | Large General Service | LG |
| 10,000+ kW | High Demand General Service | HD |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Class | Code |
| Burien | B |
| City of Seattle | C |
| Downtown Network | D |
| SeaTac | E |
| Shoreline | H |
| Unincorporated King County | K |
| Lake Forest Park | L |
| Normandy Park | N |
| Renton | S |
| Tukwila | T |
The rate structure indicates whether it is a flat rate, block rate, or based on time of use. The rate structure is displayed on your bill under "Peak."
- Flat rate: The charge for electricity use is the same price per kWh regardless of time or quantity. Flat rates are typical for small and medium general service customers.
- Block rate: The price of electricity changes at different levels of consumption.
- Time of use: Prices vary by time of day, with higher prices for usage during peak demand periods such as early evening. Time-of-use rates are for large and high-demand general service customers.
Elements include types of energy used, demand for energy, and other charges to cover the cost of service.
- Unit charge: That portion of a customer's bill based on the electric energy (kWh) consumed.
- Demand charge: That portion of a customer's bill based on the peak electricity demanded.
- Power factor penalty charge: The measure of how effectively power is being used at the service location. The penalty charge is only assessed if the power factor is less than 97%. This is typically only used for industrial facilities using large electric equipment that place a heavier than normal drain on the power source.
- Transformer investment discount: This discount is for primary metering customers who own their own transformers. The transformer distributes power on the last leg of the trip to your business for high voltage transmission.
Other Business Rates
See our rates below for lighting; duct, vault, and pole attachment rental; and Reserved Distribution Capacity (RDC).
| Lights | ||
|---|---|---|
| Residential Lights (R) | ||
| Monthly | Bi-Monthly | |
| Residential LED | $12.99 | $25.98 |
| Arterial Lights (A) | ||
| Monthly | Bi-Monthly | |
| Arterial HPS/other | $34.14 | $68.28 |
| Arterial LED | $21.03 | $42.06 |
| Floodlights (F) | ||
| Monthly | Bi-Monthly | |
| Floodlights HPS | $25.01 | $50.02 |
| Decorative, Pedestrian and Miscellaneous Lights (D) | ||
| Monthly | Bi-Monthly | |
| Decorative HPS/other | $36.48 | $72.96 |
| Decorative LED | $16.85 | $33.70 |
| Customer Owned, Department Maintained (M) | ||
| Monthly | Bi-Monthly | |
| HPS <200 W | $20.69 | $41.38 |
| HPS 200 W - 299 W | $25.51 | $51.02 |
| HPS >300 W | $30.96 | $61.92 |
| LED <50 W | $5.79 | $11.58 |
| LED >50 W | $9.11 | $318.22 |
| Customer Owned, Customer Maintained (E) | ||
| Monthly | Bi-Monthly | |
| HPS <150 W | $5.44 | $10.88 |
| HPS >150 W | $9.55 | $19.10 |
| LED <150 W | $3.40 | $6.80 |
| LED >150 W | $7.56 | $15.12 |
| Rentals | |
|---|---|
| Duct Rental | |
| Per duct-foot | $13.34 per year |
| Per duct-foot-innerduct in a rented duct | $13.34 per year |
| Vault Rental | |
| Per square foot of wall space | $33.33 per year |
| Per square foot of ceiling space | $13.34 per year |
| Pole Attachment Rental | |
| Within the Communication Space | |
| Per pole owned solely by City Light | $39.69 per year |
| Per pole owned by City Light + 1 other party | $19.85 per year |
| Per pole owned by City Light + 2 other parties | $13.23 per year |
| Below the Communication Space | |
| Per pole owned solely by City Light | $75.42 per year |
| Per pole owned by City Light + 1 other party | $37.71 per year |
| Per pole owned by City Light + 2 other parties | $25.14 per year |
| Reserved Distribution Capacity (RDC) | |
|---|---|
| Per kW of monthly maximum | $0.50 |
Have questions about City Light rates? Need help with forecasting or analysis?
Contact us for more information about rates or help analyzing your bill.