With the depletion of coal and increasing fuel prices, a proper schedule of available generating units may save millions of dollars per year in production cost. In this article, the artificial bee colony algorithm and optimization technique based on the foraging behavior of honeybees is proposed for solving economic load dispatch problems with non-smooth cost functions exhibiting valve-point effect, prohibited operating zones, multiple fuel options, and ramp rate limits. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated on test cases consisting of 10, 13, 15, and 40 generating units with non-linearities incorporated in their cost functions. The results of the proposed technique are compared with that of other techniques reported in the literature. The results substantiate that the proposed algorithm is capable of yielding quality solution. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.