Wisconsin · investor-owned utility
Xcel Energy (Northern States Power – Wisconsin): power factor rules
Larger time-of-day customers are billed on-peak demand scaled up when the average on-peak power factor is below 90%. The only copy of the rate book we could read online is from 2020, so current details need checking.
Partly confirmed Tariffs checked 2026-10-03
Smaller customers
The rule applies above roughly 100–200 kW on-peak demand, depending on the schedule.
The power-factor rule
Cg-7 General time-of-day; Cg-9 Large General time-of-day (Cp-1 and Cp-3 have a separate power-factor charge)
Applies to: Cg-9 is mandatory at 200 kW or more for 4 of 12 months. The Cg-7 and Cp-3 provisions apply above 100 kW on-peak for 4 of 12 months.
How it works: When the average on-peak power factor is below 90%, on-peak billing demand is scaled up. Only lagging kVARh counts, and distribution demand is not adjusted.
Formula: On-peak billing demand = greatest 15-minute on-peak kW × 0.90 / average on-peak PF.
"When the average on-peak power factor is less than 90%, the on-peak billing demand shall be determined by multiplying the greatest 15-minute load during the on-peak period by 90% and dividing ... by the average on-peak power factor"
Source: NSP (Wisconsin) Wisconsin Electric Rate Book, Volume No. 7 – Section 2, Schedule Cg-9, Sheet E 28 (Rev. 5); also E 25.3, E 37, E 25.62. Sheet E 28 effective January 1, 2016 (the online file dates from 2020). Checked 2026-10-03; review by 2027-10-03.
Caveats
- The online rate book is out of date and later rate cases exist, so check the current filed sheet or send us your bill.
What to do next
- Size the kVAR for your load.
- Send us a bill and we'll tell you what you're paying and what correction is worth.
Cities we serve in Xcel Energy (Northern States Power – Wisconsin) territory
Tariffs change. This summary reflects the documents cited above as checked on 2026-10-03; your utility's current rate schedule and your bill govern what you pay.