How to calculate the electricity power for my business

The term electricity power in a contract means the number of kilowatts (kW) that can be demanded simultaneously from the electrical grid by your business.

You should keep in mind that the higher the power, the more devices you can have turned on at the same time, although this will also mean you pay more. Therefore, it is important for you take out the right electricity power you need for your company. Neither more, nor less.

How do you calculate the recommended electricity power?

Choosing the right power will not only help you optimise your energy costs, it will also contribute to the sustainability of your business. Analyse your current needs, forecast your future needs and consider your company's growth.

Bear in the mind power rating of all the electrical appliances you will be using and consider the possibility of having multiple appliances turned on at the same time. We recommend you use our power calculator to help you consider several factors, such as the type of industry, the size of the establishment and the use of electrical equipment.

The problem of running out of power

If the power you take out is lower than the amount you actually need, the power controller switch will be triggered, causing your fuses to blow leaving you without electricity every time you consume more than the stipulated power.  That is how you will be able to tell that the electricity power you have contracted is not enough.

In other words: if you have several appliances turned on at the same time, the power controller switch might be triggered. This is undoubtedly not very functional and causes inconvenience, as well as not being very efficient.

The problem posed by contracting too much power

As explained above, contracting more power than you need means you can have several appliances turned on at the same time without any problems.

However, your bills will be more expensive, as power is a cost that will be fixed on your bill. It is perfectly possible to control consumption, but once you contract a certain amount of power, that price will be fixed. With this in mind, if you think you are paying for power you are not really using, we have tips on how you can find the right electricity power you need for your company.

How do I know if the contracted electricity power is the right one for my business?

Establishing whether the contracted power is the right one for your business is a simple process. All you have to do is add up the powers of the appliances you are going to use in your business, thinking about which ones will need to be turned on at the same time.

The amount of power required by each appliance can be found in its technical documentation or on the manufacturer's website.

Bear in mind the peaks that might be recorded: these are the times at which the maximum number of devices will be working at the same time. For example, it is unlikely that heating and air conditioning will have to be used at the same time.

You will also need to check whether you have a single-phase or three-phase installation, which will affect the recommended electricity output.

How much electricity power should you take out for your business?

Knowing how much electricity power to take out and finding the right electricity supply for your business depends on several factors, such as the type of company, the size of the establishes, the number of electrical devices you are going to use and the activity you are going to perform.

Everything is relative and will vary depending on a variety of details, but we can provide you with an estimated electricity power needed for each type of business. Remember though, this is just an approximate:

• For commercial premises: the electricity power required usually ranges between 5 and 15 kW. The most common electrical devices in a business are lights, surveillance cameras, payment machines and cooling equipment.
• For offices: between 5 and 10 kW is usually the electricity power needed by an office. This amount of power is capable of supporting computers, printers, photocopiers and air conditioners.
• For restaurants and bars: the electricity power needed by this type of business ranges between 10 and 20 kW. This is capable of powering equipment such as ovens, cookers, fridges, coffee machines and air conditioners.
• For hotels: the most common electrical devices in a hotel are lighting systems, security systems, air conditioning equipment, televisions and vending machines, meaning that an electricity power of 20 to 30 kW would be needed.

My business needs a lot of electricity, what should I do?

Here we come to the cases of supplies that, connected at a low voltage, require an electricity power of more than 15 kW.

Some businesses, on account of their nature or activity, need an electricity power of more than 15 kW, which cannot afford to have the switch triggered and the supply to be interrupted.

The maximeter measures the power demanded in 15-minute periods, cross-referencing this against the contracted power. If the electricity power is exceeded, a penalty will be applied. Should the opposite happen (power demanded below the contracted power), the customer will receive a discount.

Depending on the needs of your business, there are contracts with different hourly electricity bands, different hourly contractual powers and different contracted power term prices.

This reflects the importance of optimised power: 42% of contracts with a 3.0A access tariff do not have their power correctly optimised. If they were to do so, they could achieve average savings of €1,000 per year on their bills.

I know what power I need, what paperwork do I need to fill out?

One of the main documents is the electrical installation bulletin or electrical installation certificate (CIE).

In the following cases, you will need to call an authorised electricianwho, after performing an inspection, issues a new bulletin:

• The premises are newly built.
• Bulletin is more than 20 years old.
• Bulletin lost, cannot be found.
• To change the contracted power.
• To switch from a single-phase to a three-phase installation.

Once you have the updated certificate, you will need to contact your distributor. They will inform the supplier, which will be responsible for making the change.