EIA Form 861 · 2025
Smart meters and time-of-use rates by state
How many business electricity meters in each state record interval data, how many commercial customers are on a time-varying rate, and which kinds of rate utilities offer them, from EIA for 2025.
85% of U.S. commercial electricity meters were advanced (AMI) meters at the end of 2025, which record use in intervals and report it to the utility, according to EIA. 2,811,823 commercial customers, 14% of the total, were enrolled in a time-varying rate such as time-of-use. 24 markets had AMI on 90% or more of commercial meters.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 advanced metering and dynamic pricing data · 2025
Advanced meters on commercial accounts
EIA counts 20,679,121 commercial meters in the 50 states and DC, 17,510,964 of them AMI. 9 markets had AMI on fewer than half of commercial meters: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wyoming.
| State | Commercial meters | AMI share | Customers on time-varying rates | Per 1,000 commercial customers | Utilities offering one |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 20,679,121 | 85% | 2,811,823 | 143.8 | 573 |
| District of Columbia | 33,722 | 98% | 1,165 | 42.2 | 3 |
| Maine | 112,418 | 98% | 3,095 | 27.6 | 6 |
| Pennsylvania | 713,204 | 98% | 36,297 | 48.9 | 11 |
| Nevada | 206,348 | 97% | 6,219 | 34.8 | 3 |
| Hawaii | 60,842 | 97% | 1,799 | 30.1 | 3 |
| Colorado | 370,134 | 96% | 137,627 | 339.5 | 16 |
| Tennessee | 547,361 | 95% | 4,383 | 8.0 | 32 |
| Michigan | 573,594 | 95% | 10,113 | 17.8 | 17 |
| Florida | 1,372,164 | 94% | 22,943 | 17.4 | 15 |
| Louisiana | 430,272 | 94% | 1,495 | 5.0 | 6 |
| Wisconsin | 385,480 | 94% | 57,563 | 155.4 | 58 |
| Texas | 1,914,697 | 94% | 121,626 | 79.4 | 26 |
| Oregon | 264,552 | 93% | 542 | 2.2 | 4 |
| Arizona | 355,948 | 93% | 18,980 | 53.8 | 9 |
| Virginia | 453,726 | 93% | 7,641 | 17.1 | 11 |
| New Jersey | 499,633 | 93% | 21,355 | 39.5 | 8 |
| Illinois | 732,484 | 93% | 41,673 | 64.7 | 15 |
| Alabama | 372,031 | 93% | 4,638 | 11.8 | 15 |
| Delaware | 60,393 | 93% | 19,102 | 313.9 | 6 |
| Arkansas | 275,530 | 93% | 20,210 | 96.9 | 6 |
| South Carolina | 411,993 | 92% | 39,756 | 97.1 | 11 |
| Oklahoma | 311,895 | 92% | 81,497 | 263.5 | 8 |
| North Carolina | 766,984 | 92% | 61,950 | 82.3 | 21 |
| Kansas | 247,232 | 91% | 16,946 | 69.1 | 6 |
| Georgia | 630,653 | 90% | 18,692 | 29.9 | 21 |
| Minnesota | 309,663 | 89% | 21,550 | 69.4 | 19 |
| California | 1,881,127 | 88% | 1,808,061 | 1018.5 | 29 |
| Montana | 142,592 | 86% | 15,210 | 107.1 | 3 |
| South Dakota | 82,782 | 86% | 1,491 | 18.5 | 7 |
| Kentucky | 328,987 | 86% | 11,047 | 33.6 | 15 |
| Maryland | 285,064 | 86% | 18,078 | 68.8 | 11 |
| Utah | 165,604 | 85% | 1,550 | 10.4 | 6 |
| Vermont | 64,370 | 84% | 3,719 | 57.8 | 3 |
| Idaho | 126,417 | 83% | 381 | 3.0 | 3 |
| Missouri | 410,343 | 83% | 31,904 | 78.3 | 6 |
| Mississippi | 316,236 | 82% | 1,461 | 5.9 | 19 |
| New York | 1,185,458 | 81% | 36,099 | 30.8 | 14 |
| Indiana | 383,293 | 78% | 6,966 | 18.4 | 12 |
| Washington | 479,733 | 76% | 229 | 0.6 | 3 |
| Ohio | 637,247 | 66% | 23,745 | 38.0 | 15 |
| Alaska | 57,487 | 65% | 13 | 0.2 | 2 |
| North Dakota | 83,165 | 60% | 6,934 | 88.8 | 6 |
| Iowa | 251,484 | 49% | 20,284 | 80.1 | 10 |
| West Virginia | 152,774 | 48% | 220 | 1.4 | 2 |
| Nebraska | 168,735 | 44% | 380 | 2.3 | 8 |
| Wyoming | 65,567 | 39% | 369 | 6.1 | 4 |
| New Mexico | 158,892 | 37% | 5,606 | 37.8 | 8 |
| Rhode Island | 64,714 | 32% | 4,287 | 66.5 | 4 |
| New Hampshire | 113,042 | 21% | 2,628 | 23.2 | 9 |
| Connecticut | 161,064 | 20% | 13,716 | 87.6 | 7 |
| Massachusetts | 499,991 | 8% | 18,588 | 43.6 | 11 |
Download the state table as CSV. Meter totals include EIA’s state adjustment lines.
Which time-varying rates utilities offer businesses
The number of utilities in the 50 states and DC that reported offering each kind of rate to commercial customers in 2025. A utility can offer several.
| Kind of rate | Utilities | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Time-of-use | 448 | Fixed higher and lower prices by time of day and season, set in advance |
| Real-time pricing | 140 | A price that follows the wholesale market hour by hour |
| Critical peak pricing | 48 | A much higher price on a few announced peak days a year |
| Variable peak pricing | 21 | Time-of-use, with the peak price varying with system conditions |
| Critical peak rebate | 21 | A credit for using less than a baseline on announced peak days |
Why it matters for a commercial bill
Interval data shows the peak that sets demand charges and when it happens. On a time-varying rate it also sets the price of every kWh. A business with an AMI meter can see both before it decides on a rate schedule, storage or a supply contract; the load factor calculator turns a month’s kWh and peak into the number that matters most.
Common questions
- What is an AMI smart meter?
- Advanced metering infrastructure: a meter that records use in short intervals, typically 15 minutes to an hour, and sends it to the utility over a network. It makes time-of-use pricing and interval data possible. An AMR meter can be read remotely but usually records only totals.
- What is a time-of-use rate for a business?
- A rate that charges more per kWh at peak hours, typically weekday afternoons and evenings, and less at other times. A business that can move load, such as refrigeration pre-cooling, charging or batch work, can lower its bill on one; one that cannot can pay more.
- How do I get my interval data?
- If your meter is AMI, most utilities let account holders download interval data from their online account, often as a Green Button file. It shows when the building peaks, which sets demand charges on most commercial rates.
- Which states have the most businesses on time-varying rates?
- By enrolment, California (1,808,061), Colorado (137,627) and Texas (121,626). In some states time-of-use is the default or required for larger commercial customers, which is why enrolment is concentrated.
If your meter records intervals, a person can read your bill and data together and say whether your rate schedule fits. Nobody calls unless you ask.