How to read your utility rate-class summary

Why rate class matters

Rate class decides which tariff schedule you are billed under. A tariff schedule is the document the utility files with the state PUC specifying every charge a customer in that class pays — supply, delivery, capacity, transmission, riders, customer charge.

Two households living next door with identical kWh usage can have different total bills if they are on different rate classes. The difference is usually small (1 to 4 percent) but can be larger for households with electric heat or solar net-metering arrangements that put them in a special tariff.

Common residential rate classes

R or Residential is the standard household tariff. Most utilities apply this by default to single-family homes and apartments under a single meter.

RS or Residential Standard is the same as R in most territories; some utilities use RS for whole-house service with electric heat or specific service characteristics.

RT or Residential Time-of-Use is an opt-in tariff for households on TOU pricing. Same delivery tariff, different supply rate buckets.

RD or Residential Demand is an opt-in tariff for households with demand-based supply pricing — rare; mostly EV-heavy households who explicitly opted in.

R-LM, R-EH or Residential Electric-Heat is offered in cold-climate utilities; provides a lower winter rate for verified all-electric heating homes.

Common small-commercial rate classes

GS-1 or General Service 1 is the smallest commercial tariff, typically for customers under 25 kW demand. Small offices, retail storefronts, restaurants, and small light-industrial facilities usually fall here.

GS-2 or General Service 2 is for medium commercial, typically 25 to 200 kW demand. Most multi-tenant offices, mid-sized restaurants, and small warehouses sit here.

GS-3 or Large General Service is for 200 kW+ demand. Hospitals, large warehouses, mid-sized manufacturing. Demand charges become a major bill component.

Schools, churches, and certain non-profit categories sometimes have dedicated classes (SCH, REL) with slightly different tariffs.

How to find your rate class on your bill

Open your most recent electricity bill. Look on the second page or in the account detail section for a line labelled Rate Class, Rate Schedule, Rate Code, Service Class, or simply Rate. The value is a 1 to 4 character code (R, RS, GS-1, R-EH, etc.).

If you cannot find it on the bill, log into your utility account online and look under Account Details or Service Information. If still not visible, call the utility — the rep can tell you in 30 seconds.

How to change your rate class if you are misclassified

Email or call your utility's customer service. Request a rate-class review based on your usage pattern. The utility runs a 12-month look-back and confirms whether a different class is a better fit. The change is paperwork only; no infrastructure changes.

Common cases worth a review: small business misclassified as Residential, EV-heavy household that might benefit from RD, all-electric home in a cold climate that might qualify for R-EH. The savings on a successful reclassification typically run 4 to 12 percent of the annual bill.