Lower demand charges · Arithmetic
PilotWhat is a kilowatt of peak demand worth on your BC Hydro or FortisBC bill?
Choose your utility and rate schedule, and enter the load you believe could be held off at peak. The page multiplies your utility's published demand rate by your figure. It runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent or stored.
How the arithmetic works
The calculation uses only the published demand rates of BC Hydro and FortisBC and the figure you enter:
- Low bound: kW × demand rate × 8, as if the reduction were held in 8 of 12 billing periods.
- High bound: kW × demand rate × 12, as if it were held in all 12.
- Indicative NeoShift shared-savings fee: 30% to 40% of measured savings, agreed per site. If there are no savings, there is no shared-savings fee. The assessment has no software fee.
- BC Hydro minimum charge, if you give your highest winter demand: 50% × winter kW × demand rate, per month.
- FortisBC Commercial (RS 21): no demand charge on the first 40 kW. If you give your current peak, only the part of the reduction above 40 kW counts.
- FortisBC Large Commercial (RS 30): billed per kVA, so kW is divided by your power factor (0.90 if you do not know it).
- FortisBC RS 21 and RS 30, if you give your current peak: the first months use 75% of that peak as the billing-demand floor, until it leaves the 11-month window.
The calculator covers BC Hydro Medium and Large General Service and FortisBC Commercial (RS 21) and Large Commercial primary (RS 30). Transmission service customers (BC Hydro RS 1830 and RS 2801, FortisBC RS 31) carry billing-demand ratchets and contract-demand floors, so their tariff needs an individual review. FortisBC time-of-use rates (RS 22A, 23A, 32 and 33) have no demand charge.
FortisBC RS 21 and RS 30 bill at least 75% of the highest demand of the previous 11 months, so a lower peak usually shows in full only after 11 months of controlled peaks.
No energy, emissions or environmental figures are calculated. Results are not emailed, downloaded or carried into any form.
| Utility and rate schedule | Who it applies to | Demand charge |
|---|---|---|
| BC Hydro Medium General Service (RS 1500) | 35 to under 150 kW | $6.07 per kW per month |
| BC Hydro Large General Service (RS 1600) | 150 kW and over, or over 550,000 kWh a year | $13.83 per kW per month |
| FortisBC Commercial Service (RS 21) | over 40 kW and under 500 kW | $15.06 per kW per month, above the first 40 kW |
| FortisBC Large Commercial Service, primary (RS 30) | contract demand 500 kVA or more | $12.18 per kVA per month |
BC Hydro rates effective April 1, 2026; FortisBC rates effective January 1, 2026. Check BC Hydro's business rates and FortisBC's business rates for current rates. NeoTechX is not affiliated with BC Hydro or FortisBC.
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Sources
- BC Hydro Electric Tariff, Rate Schedules 1500 and 1600, rates effective April 1, 2026
- FortisBC Inc. Electric Tariff, Rate Schedules 21 and 30 (sheets R-21.1 and R-30.1), rates effective January 1, 2026
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