EnergyUnited members: the peak demand charge and how a battery can help

Who EnergyUnited is

EnergyUnited is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative headquartered in Statesville. It serves members in 19 counties, including Iredell, Davie, Rowan, Davidson, Forsyth, Catawba, Alexander, Yadkin, Lincoln, Stokes and Randolph. It is governed by a board of directors elected by the membership, and the current residential rate was approved in November 2025.

The new residential rate

The residential rate now has three parts: a fixed monthly Grid Access fee, a lower per-kWh usage charge, and a Peak Demand charge that is new in 2026. The demand charge is based on your highest 15-minute use during peak hours each billing period:

• Summer, April through October: 3 PM to 7 PM
• Winter, November through March: 6 AM to 10 AM

So a cold morning with the heat pump on emergency strips, the water heater running and the dryer going can set your demand for the whole month. That is the kind of spike a battery is good at covering.

How EnergyUnited treats solar

EnergyUnited offers net metering to residential and non-residential members. Under the current residential option, energy you send back is credited at avoided cost, the rate at which the co-op can buy power from other sources, and there is no standby charge. An older option that credited at the retail rate closed to new members on April 1, 2024. Your normal residential charges still apply.

Because exports earn avoided cost, solar pays best when you use the output yourself. Pairing panels with a battery that discharges during peak hours puts your solar to work against the demand charge instead of exporting it.

Interconnection steps

• Before construction: submit the interconnection application with a non-refundable fee, a one-line diagram, panel and inverter cut sheets, the Report of Proposed Construction and proof of homeowner's insurance.
• Before energizing: sign the Interconnection Agreement and provide the final electrical inspection certificate and a Certificate of Completion.

EnergyUnited's smart meters can be programmed for net metering, so no meter swap is needed. The co-op does not sell or install solar and does not partner with installers, so be wary of anyone who says otherwise.

Backup

Summer thunderstorms and winter ice still knock out power in the Piedmont. EnergyUnited itself offers permanently installed home generators that run on propane or natural gas. A battery is the fuel-free alternative, and it earns its keep every month against the demand charge, not just during outages.

The fastest way to a real answer

A battery only helps the demand charge if it is set up for your actual peaks. On HomeBackupPros you can book a home energy evaluation for $349. It covers an electric audit, a review of your actual usage and a written quote for a system. If you buy the system from that same contractor, the $349 is credited toward the price. Contractors can also offer a free site visit or send an estimate instead, and you choose.

Every contractor is reviewed and approved by our team before they can respond, and we check their NC electrical contractor license number. They are independent businesses. HomeBackupPros does not install anything and is not affiliated with EnergyUnited.