Rates & Fees

Rates & Fees

Rates and Energy Assistance Update for Fiscal Year 2024

Burlington Electric Department (BED) wants to ensure that we provide support for our low-income customers who need assistance. That is why our Energy Assistance Program continues to provide a 12.5 percent discount for eligible customers, helping offset recent rate changes. BED continues to encourage our low-income customers who are enrolled in the State of Vermont Fuel Assistance Program or federal Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program to apply for BED’s Energy Assistance Program.

Further, we encourage customers to learn about opportunities to save energy and money through efficiency measures by connecting with our Energy Services team for a free consultation.

BED Energy Assistance Program

Residential Service

Residential customer rates fall into one of two categories: standard residential service (RS), or time-of-use service (RT). Service under these rates is available to residential customers for all domestic purposes in a single-family home or apartment.

For information about net metering rates, visit our Solar Billing page or download the Net Metering tariff sheet (PDF).

Standard residential service

$9.18
$0.120762/kWh
$0.165088/kWh
$0.00804/kWh 
3.5%
(exclusive of Initial Block of power)
$0.075691/kWh

Residential Service Tariff Sheet

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (Customer-Owned) 

Receive a monthly Electric Vehicle Charging Credit on your bill when charging exclusively during the EV Charging Hours from 10pm to 12pm (noon the following day) or other hours available under the EV Charging Options. Applicable for Residential, Small General and Large General Service with BED-approved devices. Visit the links below to find out if you are eligible and how you can join.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (BED-Owned)

Service under this rate is available for public use of Burlington Electric Department (BED) owned and maintained EV charging stations. View the map of charging stations.

  • Customer Charge: not applicable
  • Energy Charge: $.20 per kWh for all kWh consumed
  • Other Fees: $1 per hour or part thereof of session length (i.e. continuous occupation of the charging station location) over 4 hours for all charging stations except those designated by BED for overnight parking.
  • Energy Efficiency Charge, Taxes and Local Fees: The energy charge shown above includes 6% Vermont Sales Tax, 1% Local Option Sales Tax, and 3.5% City Franchise Fee (on amounts exclusive of the Vermont Sales Tax). In addition to the energy charge shown above, the current Energy Efficiency Charge (EEC) per kWh for the SG rate shall be added to the kWh charge.
  • BED-Owned EV Charging Station Tariff Sheet

Residential Service Time-of-Use (RT)

If you are interested in this rate, we will help you determine if it is beneficial to you.

$15.29

Summer On-Peak*
$0.120762
$0.251860

Winter On-Peak*
$0.120762
$0.254999

Off-Peak*
$0.120762
$0.121154

$0.00804/kWh
3.5%
(exclusive of Initial Block of power)

Residential Service Time-Of-Use Tariff Sheet

Residential Bill Example

Standard Residential Service, for 500 kWh used

The “Rate Increase” line items will be removed and become part of the standard fees upon regulatory approval.

Customer Charge   $9.18
Initial Block First 100 kWh x .120762 $12.08
Energy Charge 400 kWh x 0.165088 $66.04
Energy Efficiency Charge 500 kWh  x .00804 $4.02
Total Cost for Electricity Used   $91.32
City Franchise Fee 3.5% ***   $2.63
Total Bill   $93.95

***Franchise Fee is applied to customer charge and charges for consumption over 100 kWh.

Small General Service (SG)

This rate is available to customers who do not qualify for any other rate provided in these tariffs and where energy consumption does not exceed 3,000 kWh per month (or greater than or equal to an average of 100 kWh per day) for any 3 consecutive months out of the previous 12 months. See notes 1, 2 and 3.

$12.98
$0.174638 per kWh
6.0%
$0.00679/kWh
3.5% (exclusive of Vermont Sales Tax)
1.0%

Small General Service Tariff Sheet

 

Small General Service Time-of-Use (ST)

This rate applies to Small General Service customers who agree to take service for a minimum of 12 months.  See notes 1, 2 and 3.

$27.52
$0.237123 per kWh
$0.240912 per kWh
$0.119034 per kWh
6.0%
$0.00679/kWh
3.5% (exclusive of Vermont Sales Tax)  
1.0%

Small General Service Time-Of-Use Tariff Sheet

 

Large General Service (LG)

Energy usage over 3,000 kWh per month for three consecutive months in the last 12 months.  See notes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

$15.29
$45.86
$0.092753 per kWh
$22.38
$0.00414/kWh + $0.9945/kW
$0.004013/kWh + $1.0279/kW
6.0%
3.5% (exclusive of Vermont Sales Tax)
1.0%

Large General Service Tariff Sheet

Large General Service Time-of-Use (LT)

Service under this rate is available by contract for 12 months.  See notes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

$30.56
$48.91
$0.120412 per kWh
$0.129021 per kWh
$0.085394 per kWh
$28.46
$28.46
$3.94
6.0%
3.5% (exclusive of Vermont Sales Tax)
$0.00414/kWh + $0.9945/kW
1.0%

Large General Service Time-Of-Use Tariff Sheet

Primary Service (PS)

Service under this rate is available by contract for 12 months for all purposes where charges are based on demand and energy metered at 4,160 or 13,800 volts. This rate requires customer ownership of the transformer.  See notes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

$1375.62
$0.106775 per kWh
$0.116007 per kWh
$0.075151 per kWh
$28.13
$3.86
6.0%
$0.00414/kWh + $0.9945/kW
$0.004013/kWh + $1.0279/kW
3.5% (exclusive of Vermont Sales Tax)
1.0%

Primary Service Tariff Sheet

Street Lights

For BED-owned municipal street lighting on city-accepted streets and overhead lighting illuminating private property where such lighting is not metered as a portion of the load served under another BED tariff.

Street Light Tariff Sheet

Other

Time-of-Use Periods

Summer On-Peak: June 1st through September 30th, Mon-Fri, 12:01 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Winter On-Peak: December 1st through March 31st, Mon-Fri, 6:01 A.M. to 10:00 P.M.
Off-Peak: All non-On-Peak times, plus the months of April, May, October, and November
*Excludes New Year’s, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days.

Notes (Commercial Only)

  1. The Vermont Sales Tax may vary depending on a customer’s percentage of manufacturing space. Call the State’s Business Taxes Division at (802) 828-2551 to see if you qualify for a reduced rate.
  2. The City of Burlington charges BED ratepayers a City Franchise Fee based on 3.5% of current charges exclusive of Vermont Sales Tax.
  3. If payment is not received by BED on or before the next monthly billing date, a late payment charge of 1% shall be imposed upon the past-due balance.
  4. LG, LT, PS and PT customers shall maintain a power factor of 90% or pay a power factor penalty. For each 1% by which the average monthly power factor lags below 90%, the demand charge for that month shall be increased by 1%.
  5. Demand charge is based on the greater of the current month’s demand or 50% of the highest summer month’s demand (June through September) occurring within the preceding 11 months.

Fees

  • Initial Service Fee: A $30.00 fee is charged each time you start electric service at a new location. If service is requested to be started during off hours (8 p.m.-7 a.m. and all day during holidays and weekends), the fee is $195.00.
  • City Franchise Fee: The City of Burlington charges BED and other utilities a Franchise Fee based on 3.5% of current charges exclusive of Vermont Sales Tax. (Nonpayment is not subject to disconnection.)
  • Energy Efficiency Charge (EEC): This fee appears on your bill and funds the energy efficiency programs at BED.
  • Returned Check Fee: A $10 fee is charged each time a check is returned by the bank.
  • Reconnection Fee: A $20 fee is required to reconnect service at a location that has been disconnected for non-payment. If this reconnection is done during off hours, the fee is $195.
  • Meter Removal/Replacement Fee: BED will remove and replace a meter channel that houses up to two meters for the purpose of installing/replacing siding for $95.00.  The fee must be paid in advance of the work.  Removal or replacement of a meter channel with three or more meters must be completed by a certified electrician..
  • Temporary Service Fee of $535, normally for construction purposes, will be charged when temporary service of single phase, 240 volt, 100 amp characteristics or less is installed at a site. For all other temporary services, charges will be based on estimated cost.
  • Collection Fee: A $20 fee will be charged when BED personnel collect funds at a customer’s service location.
  • Late Payment Fee (Commercial Only): If payment is not received by BED on or before the next monthly billing date, a late payment charge of 1% will be imposed upon the past-due balance.
  • Customer Assistance Call: A $28 fee will be charged whenever BED is requested to visit a customer’s service location and the problem is determined to be the customer’s responsibility. If the service call is done during off hours, the fee is $195.

Important Information

Customer Charge: This includes the monthly cost of providing an electric meter, reading and servicing the meter, producing bills, and maintaining customer records.
Demand Charge: Large users of electricity are billed for their demand (kW) for electricity along with their kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption. The demand is the highest amount of electricity required at any one given time within a particular month. BED must have sufficient electricity and the proper equipment available (such as generating facilities, distribution lines, and transformers) to meet the customer’s maximum demand or load requirement. The demand charge is designed to cover these costs.
Residential 100 kWh Initial Block: The first 100 kWh of power each month is provided by BED at the same low rate year-round.
Repayment Agreement (Residential Only): BED’s Customer Service Department will work closely with customers to work out a reasonable repayment agreement when customers fall behind on their bills.
Budget Plan (Residential Only): BED offers a convenient 12-month budget payment plan that allows you to make your electric bill payments in 12 equal installments. Contact our Customer Service Area at 865-7300 for details.
Terms and Conditions: Commercial rates are billed monthly and are payable upon presentation of the bill.

If you have questions on your bill or a problem with your service, please call us at (802) 865-7300.