OpenEI MCP Server for AutoGen 10 tools — connect in under 2 minutes
Microsoft AutoGen enables multi-agent conversations where agents negotiate, delegate, and execute tasks collaboratively. Add OpenEI as an MCP tool provider through Vinkius and every agent in the group can access live data and take action.
ASK AI ABOUT THIS MCP SERVER
Vinkius supports streamable HTTP and SSE.
import asyncio
from autogen_agentchat.agents import AssistantAgent
from autogen_ext.tools.mcp import McpWorkbench
async def main():
# Your Vinkius token. get it at cloud.vinkius.com
async with McpWorkbench(
server_params={"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"},
transport="streamable_http",
) as workbench:
tools = await workbench.list_tools()
agent = AssistantAgent(
name="openei_agent",
tools=tools,
system_message=(
"You help users with OpenEI. "
"10 tools available."
),
)
print(f"Agent ready with {len(tools)} tools")
asyncio.run(main())
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
About OpenEI MCP Server
Access the National Utility Rate Database through OpenEI — the most comprehensive source for US electricity rate data maintained by the Department of Energy. Connect OpenEI to your AI agent to instantly query utility rates by address or coordinates, analyze rate structures across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, retrieve complete tariff details including time-of-use periods and demand charges — all through natural conversation.
AutoGen enables multi-agent conversations where agents negotiate, delegate, and collaboratively use OpenEI tools. Connect 10 tools through Vinkius and assign role-based access. a data analyst queries while a reviewer validates, with optional human-in-the-loop approval for sensitive operations.
What you can do
- Location-Based Rate Lookup — Find all applicable utility rates by providing a street address or GPS coordinates.
- Sector-Specific Rates — Query residential, commercial, or industrial electricity rates separately.
- Complete Tariff Analysis — Retrieve full rate structures including time-of-use periods, seasonal variations, demand charges, and energy charges.
- Utility Company Research — Search and browse US electric utilities, get company details and service territories.
- Solar Feasibility Studies — Instant rate quotes for solar ROI calculations and net metering analysis.
- Energy Cost Modeling — Access detailed rate structures for accurate energy cost projections.
- Demand Charge Analysis — Understand demand charges for commercial and industrial facilities.
- Rate Comparison — Compare rate options across different utilities and locations.
The OpenEI MCP Server exposes 10 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to AutoGen in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.
How to Connect OpenEI to AutoGen via MCP
Follow these steps to integrate the OpenEI MCP Server with AutoGen.
Install AutoGen
Run pip install "autogen-ext[mcp]"
Replace the token
Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your Vinkius token
Integrate into workflow
Use the agent in your AutoGen multi-agent orchestration
Explore tools
The workbench discovers 10 tools from OpenEI automatically
Why Use AutoGen with the OpenEI MCP Server
AutoGen provides unique advantages when paired with OpenEI through the Model Context Protocol.
Multi-agent conversations: multiple AutoGen agents discuss, delegate, and collaboratively use OpenEI tools to solve complex tasks
Role-based architecture lets you assign OpenEI tool access to specific agents. a data analyst queries while a reviewer validates
Human-in-the-loop support: agents can pause for human approval before executing sensitive OpenEI tool calls
Code execution sandbox: AutoGen agents can write and run code that processes OpenEI tool responses in an isolated environment
OpenEI + AutoGen Use Cases
Practical scenarios where AutoGen combined with the OpenEI MCP Server delivers measurable value.
Collaborative analysis: one agent queries OpenEI while another validates results and a third generates the final report
Automated review pipelines: a researcher agent fetches data from OpenEI, a critic agent evaluates quality, and a writer produces the output
Interactive planning: agents negotiate task allocation using OpenEI data to make informed decisions about resource distribution
Code generation with live data: an AutoGen coder agent writes scripts that process OpenEI responses in a sandboxed execution environment
OpenEI MCP Tools for AutoGen (10)
These 10 tools become available when you connect OpenEI to AutoGen via MCP:
get_commercial_rates
Use lat/lon or address to identify the location. Returns all available commercial tariffs including general service, large power, and time-of-use rates. Essential for commercial solar installations, demand response analysis, and business energy cost modeling. Get commercial electricity rates for a location
get_industrial_rates
Industrial rates typically include the lowest per-kWh costs but may have complex demand charges and power factor adjustments. Use for heavy manufacturing energy cost analysis, load forecasting, and industrial facility site selection. Get industrial electricity rates for a location
get_rate_detail
Returns the full rate structure including energy charges, demand charges, fixed charges, minimum charges, time-of-use periods, seasonal variations, and applicable taxes. Use this after identifying a rate ID from get_utility_rates to get exhaustive details for cost modeling or bill analysis. Get detailed information about a specific utility rate/tariff
get_rates_by_address
Simply provide a street address and the API will geocode it and identify the serving utility and applicable rates. Perfect for solar installers providing instant rate quotes to customers, or homeowners checking their electricity rates. Returns all available rate options at that address. Get utility rates for a specific street address
get_rates_by_coordinates
Automatically identifies the serving utility for that location and returns applicable rates. Essential for solar installers, energy consultants, and site selection analysis. Returns residential, commercial, and industrial rates if available. Set detail=full for complete rate structures. Get utility rates for a location using GPS coordinates
get_residential_rates
Perfect for homeowners comparing electricity costs, evaluating solar ROI, or understanding time-of-use rate options. Returns all residential tariffs including tiered rates, time-of-use plans, and electric vehicle charging rates. Get residential electricity rates for a location
get_utility_detail
Returns the utility name, address, contact information, service territory, owned generation resources, and associated rates. Use this to research utility companies, understand their generation mix, or identify all rates offered by a specific utility. Get detailed information about a specific utility company
get_utility_rates
Provide either latitude/longitude coordinates or a physical address to find applicable utility rates. Filter by sector (residential, commercial, industrial) to get specific rate types. Use detail=full to retrieve complete rate structures including time-of-use periods, seasonal variations, demand charges, and energy charges. This is essential for solar analysis, energy cost modeling, and economic feasibility studies. Sector values: 1=Residential, 2=Commercial, 3=Industrial. Get utility rate information for a specific location
list_utilities
Filter by state, country, or utility name to find specific companies. Returns utility names, addresses, company IDs, and service territories. Use this to identify utility companies for research or to get company IDs for further queries. Use limit and offset for pagination through large result sets. List electric utility companies in the OpenEI database
search_utilities_by_name
Useful for finding the correct utility when you know part of the company name but not the ID. Returns matching utilities with their IDs, addresses, and service areas. Use the returned IDs for detailed queries. Search for utility companies by name
Example Prompts for OpenEI in AutoGen
Ready-to-use prompts you can give your AutoGen agent to start working with OpenEI immediately.
"What are the residential electricity rates at 1617 Cole Blvd, Golden, CO?"
"Show me all utilities in California and their average commercial rates."
"Get the complete rate structure for commercial time-of-use rates from PG&E."
Troubleshooting OpenEI MCP Server with AutoGen
Common issues when connecting OpenEI to AutoGen through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.
McpWorkbench not found
pip install "autogen-ext[mcp]"OpenEI + AutoGen FAQ
Common questions about integrating OpenEI MCP Server with AutoGen.
How does AutoGen connect to MCP servers?
Can different agents have different MCP tool access?
Does AutoGen support human approval for tool calls?
Connect OpenEI with your favorite client
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Leading Python framework for composable LLM applications.
Data-aware AI agent framework for structured and unstructured sources.
Microsoft's framework for multi-agent collaborative conversations.
Connect OpenEI to AutoGen
Get your token, paste the configuration, and start using 10 tools in under 2 minutes. No API key management needed.