Business energy guides
Find out what is driving your business electricity bill
A higher bill can come from using more electricity, paying higher rates, a longer billing period or an extra charge. Identify what changed first, then decide whether to review the plan, change equipment routines or investigate the bill.
By the Check Your Energy Bill team · Updated
Check my business billThree checks for a higher bill
Price
Did the usage rate or daily supply charge change?
Usage
Did kWh per day or trading hours increase?
Other charges
Check billing days, meter readings and extra fees.
Separate a price increase from a usage increase
Compare daily usage in kWh, not just the bill total. Check the number of billing days and whether the reading was actual or estimated. Then compare the usage rates and daily supply charge with the previous bill.
A shop open for extra hours may use more energy even if its equipment is unchanged. A new demand charge can also increase the bill without a similar increase in total kWh. Ask your retailer about unexplained changes.
Review the plan using your own usage
Compare annual usage and supply costs on a consistent basis. A lower advertised usage rate can be offset by a higher supply charge. Confirm eligibility, fees and any discount conditions before changing plans.
If our shortlist finds no cheaper supported plan, it will say so. A plan review is still useful, but it cannot promise a saving or replace a full assessment of a complex tariff.
Look at opening, closing and quiet hours
Walk through the premises before opening and after closing. Note what is running, why it needs to run and who controls it. Use a simple equipment log to spot avoidable operating hours.
Keep essential refrigeration, security, ventilation and safety equipment operating as required. Check equipment instructions and ask a qualified technician before changing controls that affect food safety or equipment performance.
Start with practical equipment checks
Check lighting schedules, air-conditioning timers and refrigeration maintenance. Ask staff to report damaged door seals, unusual cycling or equipment left running outside its intended hours.
Prioritise a change you can measure. For example, record a lighting schedule change and compare similar trading days afterwards. Weather, occupancy and trading hours can affect the result, so avoid treating every bill difference as a saving.
Measure before committing to a larger upgrade
Keep a monthly record of kWh, cost, operating hours and major changes. For a larger site, interval data or an energy assessment can help identify the equipment and times that drive costs.
Before buying new equipment, compare installed cost, expected use, maintenance and a realistic payback estimate. Check current state program eligibility before relying on an incentive.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked 26 October 2026. Rates and eligibility can change. Your comparison shows its own data verification date.
Start with the bill you already have
See what we can compare for your business. No contact details needed to view your result.
Check my business bill